The War Machine

Chapters

Chapter 2: A Promise Kept
Chapter 4: The Gathering
Chapter 5: The Mare in the Moon Part 1
Chapter 6: The Mare in the Moon Part 2
Chapter 7: The Mare in the Moon Part 3
Chapter 8: Upgrades
Chapter 9: This Means War
Chapter 10: Reconnaissance
Chapter 11: Let's Even The Odds
Chapter 12: Mobilize
Chapter 13: Alpha
Chapter 15: Artefacts and Negotiations
Chapter 16: Together We March
Chapter 17: Retaliation
Chapter 18: The Cutie-Mark Crusade Part 1
Chapter 19: The Cutie-Mark Crusade Part 2
Chapter 20: Air Superiority
Chapter 21: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 1
Chapter 22: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 2
Chapter 23: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 3
Chapter 24: Eve's Upgrade
Chapter 25: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 1
Chapter 26: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 2
Chapter 27: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 3
Chapter 28: Eve's Adventure Part 1
Chapter 29: Eve's Adventure Part 2
Chapter 30: Magical R and D
Chapter 31: Artificial horns and Arcane Blades.
Chapter 1: Online
Chapter 3: Repairs
Chapter 14: Building From The Ground Up

Chapter 2: A Promise Kept

The War Machine
Chapter 2: A Promise Kept

POV: Twilight Sparkle

'Oh my gosh! This is incredible! Where did he come from? What is he made of? Is he alive or an advanced machine!?' I think to myself as I pull myself up into his metal carriage. Once in, I look around in awe. There's so much technology never even dreamed of in here!

I look down in front of me and see blood near my hooves... I slowly look up to see a bipedal creature laying on the floor... dead, with what look like holes in it. I place a hoof over my muzzle and try not to throw up.

I shake my head and look around. Adam needs help and he said that schematics and parts are in here... and something called a computer.

To my left are what looks like metal limbs and other parts hanging on the wall making me feel a bit queasy just looking at them.

I look to my right and see a tall box-like object with complex looking boards with lines on them and wires behind a glass pane. There's also some kind of window with images on it to its left. I struggle to climb up the chair and see a board with letters, numbers and symbols on it just below the window on the desk. Next to it is a oval shaped object with two buttons and a little wheel on it.

I use my magic to levitate the oval object and examine it. I flip it over and yelp as a thin red light blinded my left eye a bit. I rub my eye and look at the window as I place the oval thing back down. When it touched the desk, a little arrow on the window moved. I stare at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to move again. I make the oval thing move and the arrow moves with it.

'Oh Celestia! This is amazing! Now where are these schematics Adam was talking about?' I move the oval over an image that looks like a folder for papers named Adam V1.0. After a few frustrating seconds of nothing I groan. "Come on! Do something!" I yell at it and squeeze the oval in frustration with my magic. I hear a click and a white box expands with words on it.

I gawk at it and mumble the words I see. "Open... Copy... Delete... Send..." I move the arrow over the word open and try squeezing the oval again... Only for nothing to happen. 'I can do this... think Twilight, think!'

I look at the oval and press my magic down on the right button. The white box shrinks and reopens with different words. "View... Sort... Refresh... New... Where's the open one?" I mutter.

I notice the arrow isn't over the folder anymore, so I move it back and press the right button again. The previous list returns and I grin in triumph. I move the arrow over the word open and this time press the left button.

The list shrinks and a big square shaped thing expands. At the top looks like an address or something, I'm not sure.

In the middle is a list of more images with names. I look through them and see one named War Machine Schematics... War Machine?

I repeat the process of right click, select open and left click. The window changes to a bigger one that takes up the whole glass pane. I just stare at it with wide eyes... This is very complex and I don't understand a lot of it.

"Twilight!? Where are you, Twilight!?" I hear Princess Celestia call out.

"I'm in here!" I yell back, not taking my eyes off the window.

"Twilight? What are you doing in there! It could be dangerous!" she tells me and levitates me off the chair.

"Princess! Wait! I need to help him!" I tell her and struggle to get free... which was in vain.

"Help who?" she asks and spots the creature in the carriage. "Twilight, dear... there's no helping him now," she tells me calmly.

I shake my head and point to Adam. "No, him!" I tell her and point to the metal creature.

She looks at the damaged machine and sighs. "I'm afraid it's also gone, Twilight," she tells me.

"No, he said he can be repaired! There's schematics and parts in the metal carriage to fix him with!" I tell her.

"Repair?" she says and walks over to Adam. A few sparks are still coming off from the damaged areas on him.

"Yes, there's an amazing device in his carriage with all the details on how he works and how to repair him!" I tell her as she puts me down.

"And why should we repair it? It could be dangerous. Something violent must have happened to them to be in this condition," she tells me.

I frown sadly. "I promised I would fix him before he fell asleep," I tell her.

She looks from me to Adam and back again.

"Alright, Twilight, but don't touch anything without my supervision, understood?" she tells me.

I nodded very fast. "Of course Princess! Come and look at what I found!" I reply and head back to the carriage.

Celestia levitates the creature's body out and lays it on the grass. She then covers it with a blanket and a magic bubble around it.

I get back on the seat as Celestia stands beside me. "See, Princess? He can still be saved!" I tell her as she looks at the window with wide eyes.

"By my sun... this is very advanced technology... even the gryphons aren't this far ahead," she says. "How did you get it to work?" she asks me.

I point to the oval thing on the desk. "That controls a little arrow on the window and the buttons select things, like this," I reply and right click on an arrow pointing to the right... only for nothing to happen. I try the left button and the window changes to a picture of an orb called an electro-fusion core.

"Incredible..." she says and I let her take control of the oval. She moves it around and then clicks on a few of the images. "We'll have to study this. Maybe our injured stranger can enlighten us once we manage to repair him," she says and exits the carriage.

I follow behind her and watch as she strains her magic to just lift Adam. "Good heavens! He's rather heavy." She grunts in effort and gently places him on the carriage floor. "He weighs nearly a ton," she says panting. Wait... a ton!?

She looks at Adam and the crane like frame at the back. She grunts again and slowly lifts him up and hooks him onto it where he dangles from it. "Are you okay, Princess?" I ask her with concern.

"I'm fine, Twilight," she replies, still panting for breath. "It may take us a long while before we can even begin to fix him," she says.

I look up at her. "He said something about his power core being unstable," I tell her and point at the window with the orb on it. "Maybe if we can fix that, he'll wake up again."

"Well then, tomorrow we'll have a lot of studying to do," she tells me.

I squeal and hop in place. "This is so exciting! I can't wait to get started!" I say and try to climb on the chair again, only for Princess Celestia to stop me.

"I did say tomorrow," she tells me with a giggle.

"Awww," I groan as she leads me out.

Princess Celestia then calls out to the guards. "I want ten guards watching this metal carriage at all times. No pony other than the guard or Twilight and myself are to come near it," she tells them.

They all salute at her. "Yes, your Majesty!" they reply and set up a perimeter around the carriage and shoo away curious onlookers.

Celestia looks up at the statue of Discord with a slight glare before sighing. She then levitates the body of the dead creature beside her. "Twilight. I'm going to take this poor creature to the medical wing to make sure it's not carrying any diseases or harmful bacteria. You're coming with me as well just in case," she tells me.

I yelp as she levitates me in a bubble as well. "Princess!" I whine but she ignores me and we head back into the Castle.

Two Years Later

I enter the lab with Princess Celestia and Spike and walk up to the what we discovered from Adam's computer is actually called a Trailer. An automobile that is powered by the much larger electro-fusion battery behind the station Adam has been hanging from for the last two years. We were also surprised that it gets its energy from the rays of the sun with the panels on its roof. Celestia was able to use her magic to simulate the sun's rays and keep the battery powered.

We've made great progress in understanding how his power core works and today is the day where we'll attempt to wake him up. I can't wait to tell him I kept my promise.

Other ponies the Princess brought in to aid in the process who've also been sworn to secrecy are researching other objects found inside. The spare limbs and parts have been thoroughly examined and detailed, we even found objects that seem to be weapons of some kind. After a pony almost lost their life from being hit from one of the smaller ones when it went off, the Princess had them locked up.

There was also this strange device with a smaller screen on it with sticks and buttons, but it had Adam's name on it so we left it alone as we didn't want to damage it.

I put on my lab coat and goggles and step into the Trailer. "Good morning, Adam. Today's the day you come back to the waking world," I tell him and remove the plating on his chest. I then open up the panel that exposes his core and begin the repairs to it.

I follow the schematics to the letter as Princess Celestia and Spike pass me parts and materials to continue the repairs. The other scientists stand near the Trailer watching with anticipation.

Spike uses a cloth to wipe the sweat from my forehead as I slowly and carefully replace parts and weld lose pieces back into place. I have to give it to these humans, they knew what they were doing and I'm amazed at some of the stuff they've come up with. There were more schematics in the computer, but only Adam's were accessible as the others are password protected.

I weld the last piece into place and connect a cable from the large electro-fusion battery into his core. I then sit at the computer and run his start up sequence.

The large electro-fusion battery hums to life and the cable lights up as energy flows into Adam's core.

After a few seconds of holding our breaths, Spike speaks up. "Did it work?" he asks hiding behind Celestia's forelegs.

I start to get worried when nothing seems to be happening. I look back to the screen and see a charging icon. "I think so. According to this, it'll take an hour to fully recharge his core," I reply.

"Soooo, we just wait then?" he asks.

"Yes, Spike. Now we wait," I tell him.

Princess Celestia smiles at me. "Please let me know when he awakens. I have many questions for him," she tells me.

"Of course, Princess," I reply and keep an eye on the monitor.

One Hour Later

I yawn as I keep watch. His core's energy levels hit ninety-nine percent and I turn to look at him. His head twitches and I couldn't help keep the smile off my muzzle.

His head suddenly looks up and it seems he's looking around.

I get up and stand in front of him. "Hello, Adam. Welcome back."

Chapter 4: The Gathering

The War Machine
Chapter 4: The Gathering

One Month Later

Twilight, Celestia, and the pony scientists have repaired me back to full working order. My damaged plates have been replaced and my magazine pouches have been mended. During the time of my repairs, I played classical music from my world through the Trailer's speakers for Twilight and the scientists to listen to which they appreciated.

I haven't left the lab since my visit to Dr. Madison's grave. Apparently, rumours of a tall metal creature walking through the Castle has started spreading. Though Twilight made the excuse she was practising with her illusion magic.

It still confuses my processors that magic is a real phenomenon here. I'll have to research it myself at a later date.

I was introduced to the Captain of the Guard named Shining Armour, who is Twilight's brother. He was suspicious of me at first, but has gradually relaxed around me over time.

Twilight has been teaching me all about Equestria and its customs. The unicorns can cast spells while the pegasi can fly and control the weather. The earth ponies are physically stronger and have some kind of connection with the earth that allows them to grow plants better than the other two subspecies.

Celestia is an alicorn who can live for no one knows how long, even herself. They have the traits of all three subspecies but multiplied by a factor of ten. So far, only Celestia has managed to actually lift me up and it wasn't for long either, the longest she did was twenty-three seconds. She also has the power to guide the sun and moon around the planet. She explained that she's not moving them but keeping them in a safe orbit around Equus with her magic.

I have also met another alicorn a few times named Cadence; Twilight's old babysitter, or foalsitter as the ponies call it. She just helps Celestia with the nation's taxes and other documents so Celestia can deal with the more important stuff like international interactions and such.

I've told Twilight of my other functions: the taser pads on my palms, the radio signal interception module to hijack and listen in to encrypted channels, the jet skates under my feet and on my back which allow me to move faster across flat terrain, though this drains power from my core faster. My ability to track multiple targets and react nearly instantaneously.

She was absolutely stunned when she gave me books to read. I just flipped through the pages at a rapid pace taking pictures of the pages and processing them into my hard drive. I read what took her nearly a year to read in just under a week. I've learnt a lot about magic from the books she brought.

I've told her of some of the more beneficial technology humanity has created, such as telephones and cellphones, television, movies and videogames, the latter I showed her via the Ovion Dr. Madison gave me with some puzzle games that she's now addicted to. Power stations that provide an entire city with electricity, cars, planes, and self powered boats. She was hanging on every word and writing down the concepts, she even said she wanted to try and make some of these things later.

I was introduced to Twilight's number one assistant named Spike who's a baby dragon. I found it amusing he said I was the coolest thing he's ever seen.

I gave them a demonstration of my rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Twilight was terrified at what the rifle and shotgun can do as they shredded through a suit of their guards’ enchanted armour, she even tried to catch a bullet mid-flight but she said it was so small and moving so fast she couldn't even see it, even Celestia couldn't catch one. They even had me shoot at some of their magical barriers and shields. Celestia's were able to stop them but Twilight's just shattered under the force, I was told to keep them locked in the Trailer unless I had need of them to protect the people.

Celestia has told me of the other races I'll be seeing at this meeting today:

The gryphons are the ones who are the most advanced in technology in this world. Just like humans, they have no magic so have focused on the technological side of science with the added bonus that they are also rather arrogant and prideful. She tells me they are the ones I need to be careful of.

The minotaurs are a peaceful people who live in tribal like buildings and have a strong connection to nature, they really don't like technology and will most likely not care much at the meeting as long as it doesn't effect them.

The zebras are a shamanistic people. Celestia tells me they can communicate with the spirits of the deceased and speak with the elements, they also have a strange fondness for speaking in rhymes. They use very little technology, but do have some for comfort and convenience.

The diamond dogs are a bipedal canine race that live mostly underground, digging up gems with hand drills and pickaxes when they’re not using their claws. They trade some of the gems they mine with other races for tools, goods, and food.

The dragon's keep mostly to themselves and only intervene with other races should they feel threatened. Celestia told me that the fact I'm so much more technologically advanced than the gryphons has them worried. They should be, from what I've seen from them in books, an AH-92 Apache could take them out easily.

The changelings are an isolated race and are considered parasites by most as they capture and feed off the victim's love. I will have to capture one of these changelings myself to find out how this is possible as my processors cannot see any possible way this can be done. How would one extract an emotion? Celestia tells me that not once has a changeling attended a meeting.

The last race are a species called simians. Ape-like people who look remarkably like gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees. Just standing more upright like a human and wears clothing. They and Equestria tie for second in the technology area.

But my arrival throws everything off. With the schematics Dr. Madison left on the mainframe... I could advance the technology here decades, perhaps centuries ahead, or I could build war machines I could control wirelessly if I wanted to. I think it would be best not to mention that. I think they got enough of a scare knowing I could reduce a mile around me to rubble just from my core alone. I just hope they don't figure out the Trailer's battery could blow away a three mile radius. Fortunately, it's self destruct is also locked with mine.

It's now time to head out to the meeting location. I have armed myself with two Tac-90 pistols and an Isis assault rifle. Both of my micro-missile launchers are fully loaded and so is the automated turret.

We decided to take my Trailer there as a pegasi carriage would never be able to take off with me on board, therefore Celestia and three of her guards are in the back while Twilight and I are in the front, all six of us driving down a road heading north from Canterlot to a location that's in neutral territory.

"This Trailer is fascinating! How fast can it go?" Twilight asks me.

"It can go at a maximum speed of eighty miles per hour. We are currently moving at forty miles per hour as the road is uneven," I reply. I keep an eye out for anything that could be hostile along the way with the camera on the turret while my optics watch the road.

This could technically be considered a VIP escort mission and the ponies have shown me more hospitality than humans, besides Dr. Madison, have treated me with. I'll protect them; like I was supposed to with humanity.

The trip took about four hours as an old looking stone table out in the open with ten seats around it comes into view. Some other races are already here: gryphons, minotaurs, and a dragoness from what I can see.

"Well, this is it. Good luck... oh by the way. Do not answer any questions from any of them or us until everypony is present, okay?" Twilight tells me.

"Understood," I reply and we get out.

I unlock the Trailer's rear doors to let out the others as well. Once we're all out, I lock the doors but stay connected to the turret. Better prepared than not. Celestia, Twilight, and their guards make their way over to the table and sit down with their guards standing behind them.

I make my way over as well. My weight cracking the old stone beneath me with each step.

I stand behind a stone chair as I don't trust it to hold my weight and stay in once piece.

The gryphons are staring at me with wide eyes and mumbling to each other. The minotaurs just raise an eyebrow at me, silently examining me. The dragoness glares at me with her arms crossed. She's a foot taller than me, meaning she's not a fully-grown dragon yet.

We wait for nearly an hour as the others arrive. Three zebras, four simians, four diamond dogs, and to everyone's surprise, a single changeling.

All the representatives take a seat while their guards stand behind them.

Celestia then speaks up. "Now that we have all gathered, I'd like to introduce you to Adam. The first sentient and sapient mechanical life form on Equus," she says and I give a small nod.

"Sentient? It's a machine. Wires, fuel, circuits, and motors. How could it be sentient? The only things sentient are flesh and blood! This is just something you've been hiding all this time isn't it? A new weapon to threaten us with!" the gryphon hisses to Celestia while eyeing me.

"I may be made of metal and wires, but I am self aware. I can think for myself, I can feel emotions, I am more than just a machine," I reply.

They all stare at me wide eyed. "It can respond!?" the gryphon asks shocked.

"Yes he can, ambassador Jackaal. We found him extremely damaged in the Canterlot Gardens with the body of his creator. A species called humans, It took us two years just to repair him enough to wake him up," she tells him.

The gryphon then glares at her. "You've been hiding it for two years? What about the treaty of sharing technology when it is discovered!?" he shouts at her.

Celestia just remains calm and unfazed. "He is alive and not a piece of technology to claim. All the technology that was with him belongs to him, we have only repaired his body, nothing more," she tells him.

I look to the gryphon's guards and notice one of them is facing away and mumbling into something on his wrist. I activate my radio interceptor module and actually pick up a radio signal.

'...ve in now and try to find a way into the metal carriage. Find anything of value we can take back with us,' he orders.

'Yes sir,' someone replies.

So. They talk about sharing technology yet haven't told the Equestrians about radios? Twilight was fascinated when I told her about it, meaning they didn't know about it at all.

My sensors pick up movement approaching my Trailer slowly. I look through the turret's camera and see a gryphon sneaking up to the back. It hasn't notice my turret aiming at it yet.

"Speaking of sharing technology, why haven't you told the others about the radio signals and transmitters you've invented yet?" I ask the gryphons.

The one speaking into his wrist instantly looks at me with wide eyes. I decide to make a point.

The turret opens fire with the sound of repeated shots, but I intentionally miss the gryphon sneaking around. It squawks in panic and flies off as everyone else watches and then glares at the gryphons.

"I picked up your guard's radio signal and listened in, trying to steal my tech while we're distracted. Clever, but unwise," I tell them. I take some pictures and voice recordings of the ambassador and save them to my hard drive.

The ambassador starts sweating and looks around. Twilight looks furious. "You have the nerve to try and steal from him? And you've had the technology for radios all this time and you never told any of us? This could have been beneficial to all of us! What else have you invented that you're hiding!?" she questions them.

"How is this any different from you hiding that machine for two years!" he replies while pointing at me. I guess he's trying to place the blame on them now.

"Hiding!? I spent the last two years of my life trying to save him! We would have shared anything he would be willing to teach us to everypony here! Stars forbid if he ended up in Gryphonia, you would have butchered him just to find out how he works!" she yells back.

The gryphon then snarls at her. "That's enough," the dragoness demanded calmly. "It would seem that our guest here is more than he seems. We dragons tend to live and let live as long as we're not involved... so tell us, what are your intentions in Equus?" she asks me.

"I've only been online here for about a month so far. The Equestrians have treated me with hospitality and given me a place to call home. I will do what I can to protect them in return for their kindness," I reply.

"So you're siding with the Equestrians? What about your technology? Will you share that?" the gryphon asks, getting an angrily shocked expression from Twilight. I can see why, asking me to share technology while they've been hiding it themselves.

"Yes and no. Some of the technology I can make is extremely dangerous and I will not let it out, but things like appliances and such I can do," I reply. There is no way I'll let them get their hands on even a pistol blueprint. So far, I can't trust these gryphons. The mainframe in my Trailer has schematics and blueprints on a many number of things I've found on the internet during the nights I was left online, learning what I could of the things humanity has accomplished.

"So you wouldn't use your technology on other nations," the dragoness asks with raised eyebrow.

"I was designed to be a soldier to protect the nation who built me, I have the weapons and training to take on a large force by myself if I have to. As long as you don't attack or harm my new home, you'll have nothing to fear from me," I reply.

The minotaur then speaks up. "If we called out for aid, would you aid us?" he asks.

"It would depend on the situation. Should another nation attack you without reason then yes, I would," I reply.

"Then you have our support, Adam, creature of metal," he tells me.

"Ours as well," the dragoness says.

The simians have been quiet the whole time. "What about you?" I ask them. The female orangutan sitting in the chair hums in thought.

"We will just leave you be and see where life takes us. Should you wish to share your technology with us, then so be it. If not, we shan't complain. Our lives are already comfortable and peaceful. If you wish to give something to make it better, then wonderful, we will not force you to. As far as we're concerned, you have our support," she says.

I then look to the zebras as the male in the chair looks back at me. "No harm to us is what we see. So shall we too leave you be," he replies.

The changeling gets up and walks around towards me. I look down at it as it looks up at me. That's strange, my radio interceptor is picking up a strange signal coming from the changeling even though I can't make out what's in it and I don't see any tech on the changeling.

Without warning, the changeling fires a green energy bolt at my head which makes me stumble back a bit, it then tackles me with its horn in the abdomen but my armour plating easily stops it. It stumbles back in a daze and I quickly place both of my hands on the sides of its head and activate my tasers.

Its eyes go wide as its muscles tense up. It shakes for a few seconds before going limp... well, it looks like I got the changeling I wanted to examine after all.

"You see? We can't allow this weapon to go free! It's a machine built to kill! We should destroy it before it destroys us!" the gryphon demands furiously.

"He was just defending himself! And the only one dangerous here is you!" Twilight replies just as cross.

"I will not sit here and be insulted like this! You either hand that machine over or the treaty for sharing technology with Gryphonia is over!" he insists, thrusting his clawed finger into the stone surface of the table.

Twilight actually laughs at him. "If you haven't already figured it out, ambassador. Adam here makes whatever you could invent instantly outdated. You've already withheld technology that could have revolutionised the world, let's not forget you just tried to steal from Adam's Trailer as well," she tells him.

Celestia then decides to speak up. "She is correct, ambassador Jackaal. Your actions here have made you untrustworthy. Adam could have easily killed your little thief, but he didn't. We have seen only a few of his basic weapons in action and not even our guards would be a match for him. I suggest you leave now before you embarrass yourself and your nation anymore than you already have," she tells him, getting votes of agreement from the others.

He growls and stands up. "You would side with a machine than your fellow beings?" he asks and then glares at me. "This isn't over," he says and they all fly off. I keep my turret locked onto them as the gryphon that tried to enter my Trailer joins up with them.

"This was certainly an interesting event, despite the way that it went," the Zebra says and gets up.

"Indeed. Apart from the gryphons and no surprise the changeling, we all give you our support and recognise you as a living being. Welcome to Equus, Adam," the orangutan says and gets up as well.

"Likewise. As long as he keeps to Equestria, Drakan has no problem with him," the dragoness announces.

"We see no problems as well," the diamond dog ambassador says.

Celestia and Twilight also stand up. "Thank you all for attending. Should Adam share any technology he deems safe with us, we shall also send you all copies as well," Celestia says.

"The simians thank you for you hospitality, Princess Celestia. We look forward to what new wonders lie in wait for the world," the orangutan replies.

The others say their goodbyes as well, leaving the ponies and I here.

"That went better than I expected..." I say.

"Ambassador Jackaal had some nerve demanding you just surrender yourself to them. Bunch of tech greedy featherheads..." Twilight says.

Celestia just shakes her head with a slight smile. "His attitude was very shameful, but it would also seem trade with Gryphonia has ended as well," Celestia says.

"But they never really traded much with us to begin with and they've proven they've been keeping new discoveries to themselves," Twilight replies.

I turn towards them and walk over to them. "If it would make you feel any better. When we get back, we can get started on equipping Equestria with its own radio network," I tell them.

Twilight's mood instantly turns around with a gasp. "What are we waiting for! Let’s go!" she says and tries to pull me along with her magic but I don't move an inch. She grunts as she tries to pull me harder. "Come oooooon! *huff* Don't just stand there! The sooner we leave the sooner we start!" she tells me.

I'd smile if I could at the display. I turn back around and pick up the changeling.

"What do you plan to do with her?" Celestia asks me.

So it's a female? "I'm going to examine her and find out how they extract an emotion to feed off from. It has been irritating me ever since you told me about them," I reply.

"I see. I do hope you don't plan to harm her in the process," she says and places a silver ring on the changeling's horn.

"I won't harm her. I'll just use the Trailer's scanners and sensors to see if their emotion gathering ability is energy or biological based. Also, what does that ring do?" I ask with curiosity.

"It blocks the flow of magic in the horn. It prevents changelings and unicorns from casting spells," she replies.

Processing information... Data saved on hard drive.

"I see. Let us head back, it would seem Twilight is about to pass out as she is still attempting to pull me," I say making Celestia giggle at the blue faced Twilight.

I start moving towards the Trailer with the others behind me. I unlock the back and let them in passing along the still out-cold changeling as well.

After the doors close, I enter the front with Twilight who looks like she's about to pass out from holding her breath for too long.

"I think I'll just take a nap... wake me up when we get back..." she says and leans against the window.

I start up the Trailer and begin the trip back to Canterlot.

Author's Note

The next chapter begins at the start of season one.

Chapter 5: The Mare in the Moon Part 1

The War Machine
Chapter 5: The Mare in the Moon Part 1

Three Months Later

When we returned from the meeting, Twilight and I instantly got started on Equestria's first radio tower in Canterlot. It took her a month to understand how radio waves and signals worked and during that time Celestia let me build the radio tower at the back of the Castle. Once built, I connected it to the Trailer's battery to power it up temporarily, though I'll have to build another battery just for it later. Maybe even Canterlot's very own electro-fusion power station maybe?

We've placed the changeling I caught into a cell for the time being and Celestia herself volunteered to allow the changeling to feed from her. The first scan showed a transparent energy encompassing Celestia which then drained her of a specific energy signature. The transparent energy then flowed back into the changeling and nourished it. More testing will be required as I also picked up that signal again from the changeling; I'll have to find a way to boost my signals to listen in to it.

Twilight has also been teaching me about magic and crystals that can store magic in them. After her explanations and reading over forty books on the subject, I believe I can make rechargeable magical batteries to power smaller radios with but I will need to experiment first.

The first test of the battery didn't go as planned. Once I connected the battery to its crystal core it detonated in my left hand, mangling two of my fingers. Twilight had a panic attack, but I told her I feel no pain and they can just be replaced. I believe I used too big of a crystal.

The second attempt was far more successful after repairing my hand. Once completed, I had a battery the size of a human double-A battery but it held enough magic in it to last a week of constant use before needing a recharge which any unicorn can do.

It looks like a human battery, but the inside is nothing but a pure crystal with a carbon rod in it. It doesn't need Manganese Oxide or Ammonium Chloride in it. This would have to be the world's first safe and cleanest battery I know of, from Earth or here.

During the second month, Twilight understood it well enough and began making receivers and transmitters which we connected to the tower. Beneath the tower formed a radio station similar to the one in the Trailer's driver cab.

We ran a test where I went into the castle while Twilight, Spike, and Celestia remained at the radio station. The radio tower worked like a charm and Twilight was extremely excited about it. I then told her we could get started on making one way radios that ponies could buy and have in their homes to listen to different channels for news, entertainment, and music.

Celestia has told me she's never seen Twilight this dedicated to something before, even to her magical studies.

News about my presence in the Castle has spread out and made the news papers. Some of the ponies welcomed me with open arms while the others didn't care or thought I was a metal pony-eating monster... hard to do that without a stomach, mouth, or teeth I think.

Further tests with the changeling showed that it wasn't emotions it was draining, but very small amounts of magic instead. Ponies thought it must have been love since the changelings impersonate people that they love and care for to get closer to them. With this discovery, Celestia has started a project to create crystals that can absorb magic from the atmosphere where changelings could then feed off it instead. Since I don't know that much about magic itself yet, this project went to the pony scientists in the lab.

By the end of the third month, I had advanced solar panels connected all over the tower to a newly made battery earning the result of making it self sustaining. The station below also has a basic computer, only designed to keep an eye on the battery and radio systems. Should the battery malfunction, the computer should automatically shut the battery down. I have taken the liberty of uploading all of my music into it and programmed five channels to play different genres.

The lab also now has its first personal radio powered by the crystal batteries to listen to the music with. Celestia even has one in her office so she can listen to the music while working; she says it sounds much clearer than the vinyl records they have.

There are plans to mass produce the radios in a few months time but an event called the Summer Sun Celebration is happening in two days in a town called Ponyville.

"Twilight, I'd like for you to personally oversee the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration," Celestia instructs her.

"But, Princess! What about the prophecy I found? On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will align and the mare in the moon will escape!" Twilight tells her. She's still going on about that? Ever since she found that book about these stones called the Elements of Harmony, she's been adamant something will happen in two days.

It was faint, but I noticed a cringe on Celestia's face. "Don't be silly, Twilight. You know that's just an old pony's tale," the Princess replies.

"B-B-But... there's never been a prophecy that's been wrong before. Starswirl himself predicted this!" Twilight says.

"Twilight... let me tell you a little secret..." Celestia whispers and looks around like it was something classified. "Starswirl was drunk when he wrote that one," she tells her with a grin.

Twilight looks stunned with a twitching eye. "Then why have you let it be published?" she asks.

Again I see a slight cringe on her face. "Ponies thought it sounded like a good story for Nightmare Night and it has stuck ever since," she replies. "Now then, you need to get prepared for your trip to Ponyville tomorrow. I'm counting on you, Twilight," she says.

Twilight hangs her head and sighs. "Okay, Princess," she replies and walks off.

I was about to follow her to help, but Celestia stops me. "Adam, I need to have a word with you in private," she tells me seriously.

This is the first time I've heard her this serious before. "Alright," I reply and follow her to her office.

Once inside, she locks the door and wards the room. "Twilight wasn't wrong. My sister will break free from the moon and return to plunge the world in eternal night. I've been planning for this day for the last four-hundred years. All of the ponies who can save her are in Ponyville, apart from Twilight. She will be the key to finding the Elements of Harmony and finally redeem my Sister from the parasite that has possessed her..." she tells me.

I stand here processing what she just told me. "Then why lie to her?" I ask.

"She needs to discover the Elements herself, along with the ponies that will be with her. The Elements will only show themselves once they discover what makes them special. Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Honesty, Loyalty, and Magic. When these six ponies come together and show their virtues, the Elements will be revealed. It is the only power strong enough to save my sister," she says.

"And what do you want me to do about it?" I ask.

"Nightmare Moon is a ruthless and cruel being. She's using my sister's body as a host and leeching off her magic and she'll stop at nothing until she completes her goal, and she'll most likely seal me away when she returns. I need you to protect Twilight and the others from her until they find the Elements, but please don't kill Nightmare Moon as you would just only end up killing Luna in the process," she tells me.

I look down and process this information. A powerful threat is coming in two days where Twilight and five others have to stop her and she can't find out about it until Nightmare Moon arrives.

"So how would I ward off Nightmare Moon if I can't fight back?" I ask.

She closes her eyes and replies in a shaky voice. "Y-You can retaliate with physical force to incapacitate her. If you can, try to knock her out so Twilight and the others have time to find the Elements and use them on her. If you can't... Keep her distracted, she'll consider you a much greater threat to herself than the others," she replies.

"Alright, I'll do my best to keep them safe. Can you tell me what to expect from her? The more information I have, the better I can be prepared," I ask her.

"She can manipulate shadows to her will. She also has the same level of power I have. She focuses mostly on long ranged magical attacks, but is still a formidable opponent in hoof-to-hoof combat," she tells me.

"Okay. What's the highest voltage of electricity you can withstand?" I ask her.

"Why?" she asks back in confusion.

I raise my right hand and turn on the taser. "I could probably knock her out with a shock from my taser, but that depends on if an alicorn can withstand the voltage I can give out," I reply.

She frowns in thought. "We can be struck by lightning and only be mildly hurt from it," she tells me.

"Then my taser won't affect you or her... Would one of those magic inhibitor rings work on her?" I ask, deactivating the taser and lowering my arm.

She shakes her head at me. "I'm afraid not as our magic is too strong for them to contain," she explains, shaking her head.

"If I managed to at least grip her horn, would it stop or cancel the flow of magic through it?" I ask.

She blushes a bit. "Y-Yes. Our horns are quite sensitive when magic is channelled through them," she tells me.

At least if I get close enough I can cancel her magic and possibly pin her down. "Alright. I'll do my best and I won't tell Twilight," I tell her.

"Thank you, Adam. If by the end of three days, Twilight and the others can't find the Elements..." she says and takes a deep choked breath. "I need you to kill Nightmare Moon... to end her eternal night and to release me from her seal," she tells me.

That must've been a tough decision to make. "You have my word, Celestia. I should go back to my Trailer and make sure I'm fully functional and prepared for the upcoming battle. Please excuse me," I say and head for the door which she unlocks.

"Thank you," she quietly tells me.

I leave her office and head back to the Lab to get myself ready.

The Next Day
7:03am

Twilight and Spike have everything they need. I've also checked myself over, all my weapons are armed, loaded, and in the Trailer. Twilight was going to take a carriage but when she was told I was coming along, she jumped at the chance to travel in the Trailer again.

So here we are, on the road down the mountain heading towards Ponyville.

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with... T!" Spike says sitting on Twilight's lap.

Spike decided to play “I spy” along the way and I'm using my turret to look around our surroundings while keeping my optics on the road ahead.

"Is it a tree?" Twilight asks bored.

"How'd you figure that out so fast!?" he asks her.

"Maybe because there's so many of them around?" she replies with a deadpan tone.

"Oh..." Spike says.

I then decide to have a go. I look around and see a bird flying alongside the Trailer in the air. "I spy with my little optic, something beginning with K," I say.

"K? What's out there that starts with a K?" Spike asks looking around.

This seemed to perk Twilight up a bit as she too looks around.

After a few minutes of searching, she spots the bird. "Is it a Kestrel?" she asks.

I nodded to her. "Correct," I reply.

"What?" Spike says and looks up. "Aw man... I didn't see that there," he grumbles, getting Twilight to giggle.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence as we listened to the music coming from Canterlot's new radio tower. Spike liked the techno style music the most while Twilight liked the ambient more, said it was nice relaxing music to read books to.

The town comes into view and I reduce speed to ten miles an hour, as to not frighten the locals. The ponies of the town stop and stare as we slowly drive along the small town roads and soon we stop at the town centre where a crowd has gathered around us.

The ponies can't see us due to the one way nano-fibreglass covering the driver's cab. Twilight and Spike get out first and are asked questions to what the Trailer is. I then get out and everything goes quiet.

"Hello," I greet the gathered crowd.

The ponies stare at me for awhile when three mares with different flowers for cutie-marks scream their lungs out. "It's the Canterlot Metal Monster!" the cream-coloured one with a red and pink mane and tail yells.

"The horror! The horror!" the pink mare with a blonde mane and tail yells next.

"Run for your lives!" the lighter pink mare with a light green mane and tail shouts as they all sprint away. Others start to panic and run around the town centre and sometimes into each other...

I look to Twilight who just places a hoof on her face. I then look to Spike who's trying not to laugh. "Was it something I said?" I ask.

Spike couldn't hold it anymore and fell off Twilight's back from laughing too hard.

Twilight drops her hoof only to have a very pink pony in front of her. "Erm, hello?" Twilight says to her while flinching back slightly.

My processors then start to glitch as the pink mare jumps into the air, gasps while defying physics by floating there and then dashes away in mid air; leaving a dust cloud that's roughly in the same shape she was.

Processing... Processing... Cannot compute. Subject cannot be explained. Examination and testing required. Rebooting processors.

"Well... that happened," Twilight says and sighs as only a few ponies remain nearby. "Let's just get this over with, what's first on the list, Spike," Twilight asks him.

Spike pulls out a scroll from Twilight's saddlebags. "First is the catering at Sweet Apple Acres," he replies.

I leave the Trailer locked at the town centre but stay connected to the turret. Twilight has a map in front of her and I follow behind her.

"How far is it?" I ask, trying to sneak a peek at the map to copy its contents to my hard drives.

"About a mile from the town," she replies.

That will take too long walking. I pick Spike up and place him under my left arm. "Dude? What are you doing?" he asks me confused.

"Twilight said to get this done quickly. So I will carry you both there," I reply and then pick Twilight up under my right arm.

She yelps and struggles. "Put me down, Adam!" she yells at me.

"This will be much faster and you did tell me you wished to see my jet skates in action," I reply.

She grumbles but stops her struggling. I move them around a bit until they're comfortable. I then power up the small jets under my feet and on my back. I lift off the ground's surface by barely an inch and turn up the power to my back thrusters.

I start off slow and pick up speed. Twilight's front legs grip my arm tightly while Spike tells me to go faster. I glide across the road at ten miles an hour following Twilight's directions. Leaning in either direction has the effect of making me turn in that direction.

Ponies yelp and stand aside when they see me coming. I reach the edge of town and pick up speed to twenty-five miles per hour and follow a dirt path to the west. After five minutes we reach an apple orchard where I cut the power to my jets and slide across the dirt path to a stop.

"Dude! That was awesome! Can we do it again on the way back!?" Spike says and asks.

"Sure," I reply as put them down where Twilight wobbles slightly.

"Argh... I feel dizzy," she says, pressing a hoof to her head.

"Sorry, but it would have taken us about thirty minutes by walking," I reply.

"Then why couldn't we take the Trailer?" she asks me.

"It was faster this way. Otherwise we'd be getting in and out of the Trailer all day. Plus, the roads are smaller than Canterlot's, It's harder to navigate here than it is there," I tell her.

"Fine. Let's just get going already... I need to head to the Library and find out more about the Mare in the Moon and the Elements of Harmony," she says.

"But Celestia said that was just an old tale," I tell her. I feel a new emotion... guilt for lying to her.

"I know, but I just got this feeling it's real..." she replies.

We walk in and find an orange mare with a blonde mane and tail with three red apples as her cutie-mark and a brown stetson hat on her head kicking a tree with her hind hooves. Apples then fall down into the baskets below.

"Excuse me? My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm from Canterlot on behalf of Princess Celestia for the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. I'm told this farm is responsible for the catering?" Twilight asks her.

"Well howdy there, Twilight. Ah'm Applejack," she replies and shakes Twilight's hoof quite vigorously. "and we sure as sugar are! We here at Sweet Apple Acres take great pride in the quality of our apples," the mare replies. "Would ya'll care to sample some?" she asks and lets go of Twilight's leg. Her leg comically keeps shaking up and down for a few seconds before Spike grabs it with a chuckle.

"Oh erm... that's okay. We really need to be moving on," Twilight says before her stomach rumbles. She then smiles sheepishly. "I guess a little wouldn't hurt," she then says with embarrassment.

Applejack then looks at my legs then slowly up to my head. "Whoa nelly!" she says and steps back after a few seconds of staring. Seems like she only just noticed me. "What in tarnation is that!?" she asks and points at me.

"This is Adam. He's a friend of ours and the Princess. He helped bring us here from Canterlot," Twilight tells her.

"Hello, Applejack," I say to her with a nod.

"Eh hehe. Yea', howdy. Sweet Celestia, yer taller than Big Mac," she replies while lifting up her hat just to see my face.

"Thank you," I say.

She shakes her head and smiles. "Well then, let's get ya'll somethin' ta eat shall we?" Applejack says and we head towards the red house. She walks up to a metal triangle and starts ringing it. "Soups on everypony!" she yells out.

The sound of hooves thundering on the ground gets closer as nearly a hundred ponies rush over to us.

"Let me introduce ya'll to the family!" Applejack says and begins naming them one by one. Each one leaves a plate of food with the same name as them. "...Applebloom, Big Macintosh *Gasp* and Granny Smith. Up an at'em Granny, we got guests," she finishes.

The elderly mare in a rocking chair wakes up with a start. "Huh? Wha? Ah'm a comin' ah'm comin'," she says and slowly walks over.

"It's very nice to meet you all," Twilight says.

Spike starts drooling at all the food while Twilight picks a few pieces. I just stand behind them while they eat.

Applejack walks over to me and looks confused. "Yer not going to eat anythin', Adam?" she asks me while the other ponies talk with Spike and Twilight.

"I apologise if not partaking of your food insulted you, but I do not need to eat. I have no stomach or organs to digest it with," I tell her.

"Ya have no organs?" she says horrified. "Then how are ya still alive!?" she asks.

"I am an A.I. made of metal and wires. I am powered by the energy from the sun," I tell her.

"Then... yer a machine like those made by the gryphons?" she asks.

"Not exactly, I can think for myself and act for myself. I'm just like you in a way, just not made from flesh and blood," I reply.

"Hoowee. Now ain't that somthin'. If the gryphons didn't make you then who did?" she asks me.

I then tell her of my creator and how I ended up here.

"Landsakes. Ya mean ta tell me ya been dead for the last two years?" she asks with wide eyes.

"I guess you could call it that. I shut myself down to prevent any more damage done to me. Twilight and Celestia are the ones who repaired me," I tell her. The little filly named Applebloom is now sitting next to me with wide eyes and craning her neck just to look up at me.

"Geez yer tall! What's it like always seein' things from up there?" the filly innocently asks.

"Applebloom! Mind yer manners," Applejack scolds her.

I hold my left hand out in a calming gesture. "It's alright, Applejack," I tell her and look to the filly. "Would you like to see for yourself?" I ask her.

She gasps and nodded quickly. I pick her up and hold her up to my chest. "Wow," she says while looking around. She then frowns and narrows her eyes towards the orchard. "Timberwolves!" she yells in fear and clings onto my neck for dear life.

The ponies all stop and look in that direction. I use my optics to zoom in and see eight wooden creatures resembling wolves from earth slowly creeping their way over here.

I gently pry the filly off my neck and give her to Applejack. "Find somewhere to hide. I'll deal with them," I say. "Twilight, can you deal with any that might get past me? I left my guns back in the Trailer and I don't want to use my missiles here unless I have no choice," I tell her.

"Alright. Just take them out quickly. If you give them enough time, they could merge together making one big timberwolf," she replies.

"Understood," I reply and start walking towards the wolves. Twilight gets everyone under a magical shield as they watch me.

"Will he be alright?" I hear Applejack ask Twilight.

"He's the safest one here at the moment and he's out there with them," she replies.

The wolves growl at me as I stop seven metres away. I mark and track their energy signatures on my minimap. Twilight told me of these creatures, they're manifestations of the ambient magic in the Everfree Forest that have come to life by possessing wood, twigs, and leaves.

My minimap detects one of them attempting to sneak up behind me. I do nothing as I know they cannot even scratch my armour with their wooden teeth or claws.

It gets behind me and pounces on my back and bites into my neck. I just reach my left hand over and grab it between its shoulders and lift it over me. I then grip its spine with my right and with hardly any effort, snap the wolf in two. The lower half has stopped moving but the upper half is flailing in my grip.

I toss the lower half away and grip its head in my right hand and squeeze. Its head snaps and caves in as a green mist like energy seeps out and flies off back to the forest. I throw the remains in front of the other wolves and charge right at them.

One to my right leaps at me and I react quickly, dodging out of the way with a step. I grab its left hind leg and swing it into another wolf. I grip the leg tightly and shatter the wood in my hand before I let go of the leg's remains and extend my blades. Another one leaps onto my back and I thrust my right blade into its forehead. The same mist leaves and heads towards the forest again.

Weakness located. Saving data to hard drive.

I pull out my blade and crouch down. I then use the jets under my feet to help boost my jump as I leap five metres into the air and come back down on one of the other wolves head while another just avoids me. It gets crushed under my weight and a small one foot deep crater is left with two foot prints in the middle.

Another mist of energy escapes and the remaining wolves regroup and retreat into the forest.

I check my minimap and no more are in the area. I pick off a few bits of wood and leaves from my shoulders and hands as I walk back over to the others.

"No other timberwolves are in the area. It is safe now," I tell them.

Twilight drops her shield and sighs. "Thank you, Adam. Everypony is here and accounted for," she tells me.

Applejack walks up to me and smiles. "Thank ya kindly fer protectin' mah family an' farm, Adam. If ya ever need anythin' just give us a holla," she tells me.

I nodded to her. "Thank you, Applejack. I'm only glad I could help," I reply.

"Ya know. It's a might bit creepy that ya have no face... Ah can't tell what expression ya showin'," she tells me.

"My design was not meant to show expressions, the military believed that a soldier that showed no fear or emotion was a lot more intimidating on the battlefield," I reply.

She shivers. "Ah can see why," she says.

Twilight then walks over and smiles at Applejack. "Thank you for the food, Applejack. It's perfect for tomorrow," she says.

"Well shucks. Ya'll welcome back anytime ya want," Applejack tells us.

We say our goodbyes and head back to town. I once again pick up Spike and Twilight and jet skate back to town.

Once we reach the edge of town, Spike gets his list back out. "Next is the weather. There should be a pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds," he says and we all look up.

There's still a lot of clouds in the sky.

"Well she's not doing a very good job now is she," Twilight says.

Seconds later, a light blue blur rockets towards us. I max out my processors and zoom in to find out it's a sky blue pegasus mare with a rainbow coloured mane and tail with a white cloud and a three coloured lightning bolt coming out of it for her mark.

I quickly reach out and try to catch the pegasus before she collided with Twilight, but even overclocking my processors, I wasn't fast enough and she slams into Twilight right into a muddy puddle. I walk over and pick up the pegasus by the scruff of her neck.

Chapter 6: The Mare in the Moon Part 2

The War Machine
Chapter 6: The Mare in the Moon Part 2

"Hey! Put me down!" the blue mare tells me angrily.

"Not until you apologise to Twilight," I reply.

She looks down and sees a frowning Twilight laying in the puddle with a pained groan.

"Oops, sorry about that. I kinda got distracted while I was flying," she says and I let her go. She flaps her wings and hovers next to me.

I walk over to Twilight and lift her out of the puddle. "Are you alright, Twilight?" I ask her. Scans show no serious external injuries other than a bruise on her right shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she replies.

"Hold on... I can fix this!" the blue mare says and flies off, only to return in seconds with a dark grey cloud. She then starts to jump up and down on it causing it to pour rain on Twilight. She grumbles as she's now completely soaked. "Oh, erm. How about this? My very own patented rainblow dry!" she says and starts flying around Twilight at a speed that looks like it should be crushing her organs against her own muscles.

She stops and while Twilight is now indeed dry, her mane and tail are all puffed up and tangled. The blue mare lands and snorts before bursting out in laughter. Spike also couldn't help himself and laughs as well.

I don't see the humour in it as Twilight looks miserable. She sighs and looks at the blue mare. "Let me guess, you must be Rainbow Dash?" she asks.

The now named Rainbow Dash stops laughing and jumps up onto her hooves and then hovers in the air. "Thee one and only! Why? Have you heard of me?" she replies and asks. This mare has a large ego on her.

"I've heard you're supposed to be keeping the skies clear. *Sigh* I'm Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me here to check on the weather," Twilight says to her.

Rainbow Dash flies up to a really low cloud and lays back on it. "Yeah, yeah. That'll be a snap, I'll do it in a jiffy. Just as soon as I'm done practising," she replies.

"Practising for what?" Twilight asks her.

Rainbow Dash points to a poster of some kind on the wall of a nearby house. "The Wonderbolts! They're going to be performing at the celebration tomorrow! And I'm going to be showing them my stuff!" she boasts flexing her forelegs.

A smile then forms on Twilight's face. "Thee Wonderbolts?" she asks.

"Yup," Rainbow Dash replies with a grin.

"The most talented flyers in all of Equestria?" Twilight asks again with a bemused smirk.

"That's them!" Rainbow says.

"Pfft. Please, they'd never accept a pegasus who couldn't keep the sky clear for one measly day," Twilight tells her.

Rainbow frowns at her. "Hey! I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat!" Sshe tells her.

Twilight smirks and narrows her eyes. "Prove it," she dares her.

Rainbow glares at her and instantly takes off. The cloud she was on is instantly blown away and I’m forced to overclock my processors to keep up with her speed. She's moving close to two hundred miles an hour flying through the clouds and breaking them apart. I started a timer the moment she took off, just out of curiosity.

After the last of the clouds over Ponyville are gone I stop the timer. Ten seconds exactly.

Rainbow Dash lands on the nearby bridge and grins. "See? What'd I say! Ten. Seconds. Flat. I'd never leave Ponyville hangin'," she says.

"She's right, Twilight. I timed her. Ten seconds exactly," I tell her.

"See! Even the Big Guy agrees with me! Wait a minute," she says and hovers in front of my head. "Who are you anyway? You a Minotaur? I thought you guys hated technology... and where are your horns?" she asks me.

"My name is Adam, and I'm not a minotaur," I tell her.

"You're not? Are you a simian then?" she asks. "Yeah. You look more like them actually."

"No. I'm an A.I," I tell her.

"A.I.? What's that?" she asks with a tilt to her head.

"Artificial intelligence," I reply.

She's silent for a few seconds with a frown. Her eyes then go wide. "You're a machine!?" she asks with a grin.

"You could say that," I reply to her.

She flies around me and pokes me a few times. "This is so cool! What else can you do? Can you fly?" she asks.

"I weigh one point six tons. My jet systems can barely lift me an inch off the floor or just give me a small boost to jump higher," I reply.

"Awesome! Well, I need to get going; still need to practice and stuff. Hey, if you're all staying after the Summer Sun Celebration, we should all hang out some more," she says and does a flip in the air before taking off.

Spike looks at Twilight while pointing at where Rainbow Dash went. "She's amazing!" he announces thoroughly impressed. He then bounces her puffy mane in his hand and chuckles. Twilight groans and walks off. "Wait! It's kinda pretty once you get used to it!" he calls out to her.

I remain silent and follow behind them. "What's next?" Twilight asks him.

He looks down at his list. "Decorations at the town hall," he replies.

We head to the town hall and pass by my Trailer. Ponies are still around looking and poking at it, but other then that no attempts to get in have been made, not that they could.

We enter the townhall and I see banners, ribbons, bows, plants, and balconies everywhere. Why do they need so many balconies? Under the main balcony ahead of us is a white unicorn mare with an indigo purple stylishly curled mane and tail. Her mark is three blue diamonds.

"Beautiful," Spike says.

"The décor is coming along nicely. Beautiful indeed," Twilight replies.

"Not the décor... her," he says pointing to the white mare. "How are my spines? Are they straight?" he asks while straightening his spines. Twilight just rolls her eyes with a slight smile.

"Good afternoon," Twilight greets the white mare.

"Just a moment! I'm in the zone, as it were... Ah yes, sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Rarity, you are such a talent!" she says and turns to face Twilight. "Now erm, how can I help yooo- Whahahahaaa! Oh my stars darling! What ever happened to your coiffure?" she asks Twilight.

"Oh, you mean my mane? Well, it's a long story. I'm just here to check on the decorations and then we'll be out of your hair," Twilight replies.

"My hair? What about your hair?" Rarity says and starts pushing Twilight to the exit.

"Wait? Where are we going!?" Twilight says. "Spike! Adam!" she then yells at us for aid.

My processors glitch out again as Spike floats in the air and propels himself forward with his tail acting as a propeller in counter rotation. I try my best to ignore it before I end up blowing out a processor or two.

I follow them to a tall cylindrical building that looks like a carousel. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique," Rarity tells us. Huh, a tad on the nose...

She opens the door to let us in... but there's a slight problem. I can't fit through the door.

"Oh dear... I didn't think you wouldn't fit through the door, I'm afraid you'll have to wait out here while I attend to the poor mare's mane," she tells me.

"It's no problem at all, I don't mind, ma'am," I reply which gets her to smile.

They enter the building and I examine my surroundings. I see some kind of market with stalls and tents set up to the left. To the right leads back to the town centre.

I look through my turret's camera and the town centre looks calm. After a good hour, Twilight runs out of the building with Spike hot on her heels. I activate my jet skates just to keep up with them.

"What happened, Twilight?" I ask her.

"Well, as you can see, she fixed my mane and tail. Then she got me to try on a lot of outfits and dresses. She started to go a little over board so I decided it was time to leave," she tells me.

"By running out the door?" I ask.

She blushes and looks to Spike. "What's next?" she asks him and ignores me.

"Music, it's the last one," he says.

We head to the location and I hear birds singing in sync with each other. I see a yellow pegasus mare with a light pink mane and tail waving her hoof at them. Is she conducting for them?

"Hello?" Twilight says making the mare yelp and jump. The birds are also startled and scatter.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you and your birds," Twilight tells her.

The pegasus lands and slowly turns around and spots me. I have never seen a pony's eyes so wide and scared before. I tilt my head slightly and her eyes roll up into her head as she faints.

"I didn't even say anything this time," I say confused. Getting a chuckle from Spike.

"Maybe you should wait for us by the Trailer, Adam. We'll try to wake her up and talk to her," Twilight tells me.

"Alright," I reply and head back to the Trailer.

I wait inside for Twilight to return while playing a puzzle game on my Ovion. I've limited myself to a single processor to make the gameplay a bit harder on myself.

The doors open and Twilight is there along with the yellow mare. "Adam? Fluttershy here would like to apologise for, well, fainting on you," she tells me.

I power off my Ovion and place it next to the computer. "It's alright. I do look intimidating," I reply.

The yellow mare named Fluttershy steps into view but stays hidden behind her mane. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings... I just didn't expect to see somepony like you," she says quietly.

"As I said, it's alright. Your name is Fluttershy correct?" I ask and she nodded her head. "Thank you for your apology. I also apologise for causing you to faint, it wasn't my intention," I tell her.

"It's no problem. I'm used to it," she replies. How does one get used to fainting?

"Well, everything is ready for tomorrow. We've been allowed to stay at the Library until the celebration begins," Twilight tells me.

"Will I be able to fit inside?" I ask.

"We'll just have to see," she replies.

Fluttershy leads us to the Library which is a giant hollowed out tree. It appears to also still be alive. Fluttershy opens the door for us and Twilight enters while I manage to just squeeze in. It's pitch black in here.

I turn on my night vision and come face to face with that physics breaking pink pony hanging upside down from the ceiling trying not to giggle.

I quickly grab her by the waist causing her to yelp in surprise. Twilight then yelps from the pink pony's yelp which also startles Spike and Fluttershy.

Candles are lit and everyone can see me holding a grumpy looking pony upside down. "You ruined the surprise!" she tells me crossly.

"I was certainly surprised. I was not expecting to see a pony hanging from the ceiling," I reply and gently put her down.

"Eh, it's okay. Been awhile since I was the one surprised!" she says and giggles. She then hops in front of Twilight and greets her. "Hi I'm Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you guys!" she tells us.

Twilight looks unamused. "That's very nice of you, but I have something I need to look into before it's too late," she replies.

"Aw, but you looked so sad when you arrived! I thought a good party would cheer you up and help you make some friends!" Pinkie tells her with a slight frown.

"I have friends! Adam's my friend, Spike's my friend, and even the Princess is my friend. I'm just fine thank you," Twilight says and walks past Pinkie and looks through the bookshelves looking for her book.

Pinkie then looks up at me. "Was it something I said?" she asks me with a trembling lower lip.

I just got the feeling of Deja-vu right there. "That's normal for her. When something has her interest, she tends to focus on it more than anything else," I reply.

"Oh! I see. So she's looking for a book about something that really has her interest then?" she says.

"Seems like it," I say.

I look up to see Twilight having a drink, but her head then shoots up with a pained expression on her face. "Are you alright sugarcube?" Applejack asks her.

My processors suffer again as she leaps into the air and her mane and tail literally turn into fire as she bolts off up the stairs. Spike picks up the bottle she poured her drink from and reads it aloud. "Hot sauce."

"Ooooo," Pinkie Pie says and then tips it over a cupcake and then eats the sauce covered confection. Everyone just stares at her with odd looks. "What? It's good!" she says while chewing on it.

A few hours pass by as the ponies dance and play games while Twilight still hasn't come back down. The ponies have been asking me questions about what I am, where I came from, what do I do. The oddest question was if I could turn my head around in a complete circle, to which I can't. I couldn't go upstairs due to the fact I'd most likely damage them, so Spike went up instead.

After it was almost midnight, I excused myself from the party. I head back to my Trailer and prepare myself for what's coming: I get two Tac-90 pistols with ten magazines, Eight flashbangs, my Piledriver shotgun with three, twenty rubber-slug drum magazines which fires semi-automatically, these were here in case I was ordered to subdue a target at range or quell riots; should prove useful for attacking Nightmare Moon at range without killing her and I still have my loaded missile launchers.

Once I've checked I have everything and fully recharged my core, I head back to the Library and wait for Nightmare Moon to make her next move.

It was now time to head to the town hall to begin the celebration and while Twilight questioned why I was armed, I used the excuse of being cautious after the timberwolf incident.

We're all gathered in the main hall and I stand at the back as to not block anyone's view. "Isn't this exciting? I've never been so excited! Except maybe that one time I saw you come out of that carriage in town and I went *GASP* but I mean really? Who could top that?" Pinkie Pie says to Twilight eagerly.

Trumpets begin to play and the birds begin to sing. A candle powered spotlight moves down and highlights a tan mare with a white mane and tail with a scroll mark on her flank is standing on the small stage. "Fillies and gentlecolts. As mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" she announces to the gathered crowd.

The ponies all cheer while Twilight looks more worried.

"In just a few moments our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this, the longest day of the year!" the mare proclaims with a hoof outstretched rather dramatically. I notice Twilight looking out the window to the moon. I look and see some stars actually moving behind the moon and the image of the mare disappears; looks like it's time.

"And now, it is my great honour to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day. The good. The wise. The bringer of harmony to all of Equestria! Princess Celestia!" she says and points a hoof to the balcony above herself.

Rarity pulls a cord and the curtains covering the balcony open up, revealing no one there. "This can't be good," Twilight says nervously. Whilst no one is looking, I pull my shotgun loaded with the rubber slugs off my back. Twilight looks at me with worry.

"Keep calm everypony. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this," the tan mare says.

"Ooo, ooo! I love guessing games! Is she hiding?" Pinkie Pie says and looks around.

"She's gone!" Rarity says, getting everyone to gasp in shock.

"Oooooo she's goooood," Pinkie Pie says. "Aaahhhh!" she then screams as a deep blue mist with little white dots expands on the balcony. Once it’s covered the entire balcony, it blows away revealing a black alicorn with a blue helmet, breastplate and matching shoes. Her mark is a purple splotch with a white crescent moon on it. Her eyes are teal with vertically slitted pupils.

"Nightmare Moon..." Twilight says quietly and Spike faints off her back.

The ten guards here try to subdue her, but she instantly knocks them all out with her mane and tail like whips.

Nightmare Moon looks around and grins. Instead of flat teeth, she has razor sharp fangs. "Oh my beloved subjects. It's been soooo long since I've seen your precious little sun loving faces," she says to everyone.

Rainbow Dash glares at her. "What have you done with our Princess!" she accuses her and tries to fly at her.

Applejack quickly grabs Rainbow Dash's tail with her teeth. "Whoa there nelly!" she says and pulls her back.

Nightmare Moon giggles with a cruel tone behind it. "Am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" she asks.

"Oooo oooo! More guessing games! Erm, Pokey Smokes! How about, Queen Meanie? No, Black Snootie! Black Snootie! Mmmffpph mmffph!" Pinkie Pie says and Applejack stuffs a cupcake into her mouth to shut her up.

This apparently didn't sit well with Nightmare Moon. "You dare insult me so brazenly? I shall have your head on a pike to decorate my new throne room, you insolent little pony," she bellows and her mist like mane turns into a spear like shape and lunges toward Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie's eyes go wide and her pupils shrink in fear. Now I act.

I aim my shotgun at Nightmare Moon and fire a shot right between her eyes. Her attack stops as she pulls her mane back and cries out in pain. "Twilight, I'll keep her distracted, you know what you have to find. Go and find them quickly! I don't know how long I'll be able to hold her off," I order her.

"Wait... you knew she was coming didn't you?" she accuses me.

I fire another shot and hit Nightmare Moon in the neck making her choke slightly. "I'll explain later. You need to go now!" I tell her again.

"Fine, just be careful..." she tells me and leaves the town hall with everyone else while she levitates spike beside her.

I fire again and hit her in her left foreleg's knee joint, causing her to trip and fall to the floor of the balcony.

She gets back up with anger on her face. "How dare you attack me you pathetic creature! I will rip you apart limb from limb!" she roars out in anger and dives off the balcony. I max out my processors and aim for her right wing. I fire another slug and hit the middle joint, making her tumble to the ground.

She yelps as she slides across the floor, but I don't give her time to recover and I charge towards her. As she manages to stand back up, I punch her with my left fist in the jaw where an audible crack is heard. She reels back and stumbles a few meters. She recovers and glares at me with a sinister expression.

It would have been intimidating if it was used on anyone else, I was not programmed to feel fear.

"Oh I will enjoy ripping out your still beating heart," she slurs at me and tugs on her jaw, setting it back into place. Just like Celestia, she has accelerated healing.

I don't reply as a soldier doesn't boast or taunt their enemy, they just crush them with overwhelming force.

I search through my music files and play a song in hope that it would confuse her at first.

It's a song from a game made many years ago... but I feel it fits, considering the lyrics.

The instant the music starts, her eyes widen with confusion. I take advantage of the moment and power my back jets to full as I launch myself from zero to thirty miles an hour in an instant, draining ten percent of my core. Before she could react I tackle her through the building's wall and out into the street.

I then grip her by the throat and throw her as hard as I can into the fountain in the town centre. It crumbles as she goes through it. I slide to a halt and ready my shotgun.

She picks herself back up and I can see her right hind leg is bent backwards. She looks extremely angry with rage and glares at me. "It would seem I have underestimated you creature," she tells me and her leg snaps back into place. "I haven't had to fight this seriously since I fought my sister over a millennia ago," she says and her horn glows.

I shoulder my shotgun and pull the trigger.

Chapter 7: The Mare in the Moon Part 3

The War Machine
Chapter 7: The Mare in the Moon Part 3

I pull the trigger and fire another slug at her.

She conjures a magical shield and the shot is deflected off it, I grab one of my flashbangs and pull the pin, I then charge at her and throw the flashbang in my hand at her face as it goes off, earning a scream of pain as Nightmare Moon is blinded by the light. I punch through the shield which shatters and hit her in the face again, but this time, she only moves back by a foot.

Her eyes open and she glares at me. "Not this time, foal," she says and blasts me point-blank with a large amount of magical energy, I'm lifted off the ground by two feet and fall back three metres. As I crash to the ground, I swiftly aim my shotgun at her and fire off a slug at her throat again.

She chokes for a few seconds as I fire my back jets and upright myself quickly. "You're really getting on my nerves you poor excuse for a warrior!" she yells at me and teleports away, my minimap detects her directly to my right, but I don't react in time as she kicks me hard with her hind legs.

I'm sent flying again and tumble across the ground a couple of metres, I get back up and try to find her. She's disappeared again, I detect her behind me and again she kicks me across the ground.

I get up and use my jets to lunge at her, I kick her in the chest and follow it up with an uppercut under her jaw, she flips backwards and fires a strong blast of magic at my head as she rights her self mid air, making me flip onto my chest.

"Is this the best you can do? I must say I'm disappointed," she tells me.

I get back up and face her. "Why do you want to make eternal night?" I ask her. Getting information out of her might prove useful, she also seems to be the type to boast and gloat, this can buy me some time.

"Oh? So it does speak. I just wish to destroy all life on the planet, do I really need a reason to do so?" she replies.

"I was told you're a parasite possessing Luna. Why her," I ask.

"My my, so curious," she says and starts circling me, I turn with her to keep her in my view. "I was originally going to take that peace loving alicorn Celestia and use her magic to increase the sun's rays, burning the planet to a crisp, but she always kept her guard up; I just couldn't find an opening..." she then giggles maliciously. "But her sister was such an easy target. Always laid back and relaxed, it was easy to sneak into her room and claim her body for myself," she tells me.

Processing... "Are you from this planet?" I ask her.

"Oh? You're the first to ask such a question. No, no I'm not, I arrived on a meteorite about one-thousand and twenty years ago. Now it's my turn to ask a question, what are you? I've never seen such a creature before with a hide made of metal," she replies and asks me.

Processing... Answer question to prolong distraction. "I am an artificial intelligence, a man made machine which can think and act for itself," I reply.

This seems to surprise her. "You were built? Intriguing, no such thing existed before I was banished, seems I missed out on a lot during the last thousand years. I wonder if I would be able to possess you or not?" she muses.

"Unlikely, due to the fact I have no biological components," I tell her. I run a scan on her and detect an insect like creature at the base of her neck attached to the spine under the muscle.

"Pity. Your body seems much more effective for battle than these ponies, these alicorns seem to be some of the few most powerful beings on the planet. I would've liked to keep this body when I leave, but it seems her magic is tied to this planet," she says and fires a bolt of magic without warning.

I raise my left hand and catch the bolt in my palm as the magic disperses around it.

"And what would you do once you've wiped all life off the planet," I ask and start circling her.

"What I have always done, find a way to leave the planet and hibernate on a meteorite until I land on the next planet to destroy," she tells me with a vicious grin, showing off her fangs.

I would rather kill her where she stands right now with how dangerous she is, but I gave my word I wouldn't until the end of the third day.

"And where is Celestia right now?" I ask her. She did tell me she would be sealed by Nightmare Moon.

"Oh you naughty thing, what makes you think I'd tell you that?" she purrs and laughs.

I turn my right shoulder to her and grip another flashbang with my left hand and pull the pin with my thumb. "It never hurts to ask," I reply.

"But it can. Ask somepony the wrong question and it could cost you your life!" she yells and lunges at me.

I toss the flashbang and aim my shotgun at her head and fire a slug right between her eyes, she screams as the bright light blinds her again and the slug makes her stumble back.

I holster my shotgun and pull out a tac-90 pistol and fire a single shot into her right upper foreleg, blood spurts out and she cries out in pain.

I fire another three shots at her legs, but she puts up another shield and the shots get deflected. I then fire a single missile from my left shoulder launcher at the base of her shield near the ground, she yells in surprise as her shield shatters and the explosion blows her back six metres.

"What manner of magic is this!?" she demands as she gets up, blinking her eyes so she can see again.

I don't answer and charge at her again while taking shots at her, she dodges a few while others graze her. She then teleports on top of a building and charges up her horn, Twilight and Celestia have done tests on my armour plating with their magic and apparently my titansteel plates can withstand up to twelve strong blasts from an alicorn before breaking under the pressure and heat.

She fires blast after blast of magic at me and I try my best to avoid them, I use my forearm plates to deflect those I can't avoid and the plates start to heat up from the magical energy. I activate my jet skates to make myself a harder to hit moving target, my sudden movement shocks her for a second before she resumes her assault as I fire the remainder of the magazine at her and she raises her shield again.

I need to get close to her again, I need to grab her horn and pin her down... Calculating... Forty percent chance of success, target's physical strength is greater than expected.

Sliding to a halt, I reload my pistol in just over a second and resume taking shots at her, she teleports across the town centre and onto another building. "Let's see how you handle my little pets!" she says and her horn glows.

Black shadow like creatures resembling ponies with silver eyes, bat-like wings, and fangs emerge out of the shadows between the buildings.

"Go my children! Tear it apart!" she orders them and I pull out my other pistol.

The shadow ponies screech out all together and fly right at me, I notice some of them also fly off into the Everfree Forest; now these I don't have to worry about killing.

I mark and track all targets and repeatedly fire shot after shot into their foreheads. They don't drop like I expected them to. Instead, they break apart like smoke in the air. I experiment and also fire a few missiles, killing small groups of them.

As I combat the shadow ponies, the guards she knocked out earlier try to ambush her, only to be torn apart as her mane and tail coil around them and rip their limbs off.

Two of the shadow ponies latch onto me and start to bite at my plating, warning signals flood my text system as they're slowly biting through the titansteel.

I grasp the head of the one on my left shoulder and crush it, it bursts into a mist and dissipates as the right one rips off my shoulder guard and tosses it away.

I manage to shrug it off to the ground and stomp on its head, it bursts and I resume firing into the others. I grab the last one by the throat and turn to Nightmare Moon and grip it hard.

The head pops off and then dissipates.

Nightmare Moon glares and snarls at me with a hateful expression. "Why won't you just die!?" she screams and I detect a large amount of energy gathering in her horn, alarms warn me to avoid it as it would rip through me easily.

She fires a large beam of superheated magic at me and I use my jet skates to dash to the right, but the beam was faster than I calculated and my left arm is melted off.

She smirks, but then looks stunned as I'm still standing.

She roars out in rage and turns into a blue mist and rushes right for me, I holster my remaining pistol and activate my taser. Probability of effecting target seventy-two percent.

She clashes into me and engulfs me completely, scanners indicate she's trying to get inside. I active my system defence and electricity covers my entire body, she screams in pain as she quickly gets away and reforms.

"Damn you!.." she says and snarls at me.

I detach what's left of my left arm and seal off the hydraulic fluid valves. I need to keep her focus on me, getting her even angrier will be effective. "That the best you got? I'm not impressed," I repeat what she told me.

She roars in anger and her horn glows again, I ready myself for another magical attack, but instead a black sword with tiny white diamonds along the blade making them look like stars appears in front of her. She swings the blade at me and I hold up my right arm and parry it with the plate.

Her eyes look almost feral as she rapidly swings the sword at me, sparks fly off as she repeatedly hits my armour plating over and over again.

I max out my processors, then reach out and grasp the blade in my hand mid swing. "Not even Celestia was this much trouble until she got her precious Elements! How are you still standing!" she demands and I pull the sword hard, breaking it free from her magical grip.

She glares so hard it's almost like she could melt my metal with it alone, she then suddenly gasps and looks towards the Everfree Forest. "Impossible! They were sealed away!" she yells and turns back into a mist before flying off into the Forest. I drop the sword and quickly activate my jet skates as I give chase.

My tracking systems keep track of her on my minimap and I charge my way through the foliage and small trees. Animals scatter as I bulldoze my way through, keeping up with Nightmare Moon. I notice a pony in a brown cloak and hood taking cover behind a tree along the way, but I ignore them and continue following my target.

An old derelict castle comes into view and Nightmare Moon flies above it and dives through the roof, I max out my jets and barrel through the wall where I see her thrusting her horn right at Twilight who is floating in the air wearing a golden tiara with a purple six pointed star gem in it.

I slide in between them and Nightmare Moon impales me through my lower back with her horn.

"Adam!" Twilight yells with panic in her tone.

Warning signals scream at me and I quickly grab her horn so she can't pull it back out.

"You!? Release me you insufferable creature!" she yells at me in rage and tries to pull her horn out.

I hold on but my system glitches slightly, making my grip loosen and that was all she needed to pull her horn out and wrap her left foreleg around my neck.

She pulls hard and I can hear the hydraulics and motors protesting from the force; if this keeps up, she'll rip my head off.

My self preservation directive then kicks in, forgive me Celestia. I raise my right arm and extend the blade and without hesitation, I cut her leg off.

She screams in pain and falls to the stone floor, I recover my balance and wrap my right arm around her neck this time and I use my weight to pin her down.

"Twilight! Use the Elements! I can't hold her for long!" I tell her.

"But you'll be hit as well!" she replies.

"Just do it!" I tell her.

I see tears run down her face as the light intensifies, after a few seconds of struggling to keep Nightmare Moon pinned down, a rainbow coloured beam of intense energy soars right at us and hits.

Nightmare Moon screams in agony as my systems start to malfunction.

Error. System wide malfunction detected. Core unstable.
Initiating core shutdown... Error. Shutdown subroutine corrupted.
Transmitting emergency evacuation signal... Error. Communications systems offline.
Attempting to vent remaining power... Error. Vent system damaged.

I can barely think anymore as my vision fades in and out with static, I faintly detect some new data flowing into me.

Downloading new data... Processing... New operating system detected. Core regaining stability.

Subroutines back online. Initiating forced shutdown procedures.

POV: Twilight Sparkle

Once the Elements finish and the light dies down, I see Adam on the floor and not moving; sparks flying off and hydraulic fluids leaking from him, it looks like he rolled over as a small blue alicorn with a light blue mane and tail is in his grasp. She's missing her left foreleg which is laying on the floor nearby, still unpurified.

I rush over and shake Adam. "Adam? Speak to me, Adam!" I yell at him. I can see a dim light in the hole in his back meaning his core is still intact.

The room lights up as the sun rises and Celestia appears in the room.

She looks around and spots us, she then gasps and gallops over. "Twilight!? What happened!?" she asks as she kneels down beside us and looks on in horror at the condition of both Adam and the alicorn.

"Sister..." she mutters quietly.

Celestia levitates her sister out of Adam's grip and I check him over, his left arm looks like it was melted off by some really powerful spell as the plating is warped around his shoulder joint. He's missing a few of his titansteel plates and the hole in his abdomen looks severe.

I don't know how we're going to get him out, and I don't think we'll get his Trailer here either.

Chapter 8: Upgrades

The War Machine
Chapter 8: Upgrades

A.I. W-M-001 Codename War Machine booting up.

Harmony Launch V1.0

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Online.
Communication Systems - Online
GPS and Tracking - Offline.
Magic Systems - Online

Date and Time - Unknown - Getting data from server - 4/08/2247 - 14:07

Directives:

1 Protect Equus from all threats.

2 Self Preservation.

3 Live.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

My vision comes back online and I look around; I'm back in the Trailer's station with Twilight standing in front of me looking over some papers.

Her ears stand up from the sound of my motors and she looks at me with a gasp. "Adam! Oh thank Celestia you're okay, I've been repairing what I could for weeks but you wouldn't wake up," she tells me.

"I appreciate your concern for my well being and I appear to be fully operational again, Twilight. What happened after you used the Elements? I have no memory of it," I ask her.

"Well, after you were hit by the Elements, you weren't moving, so I was trying to find a way to get you back to Ponyville to repair you..."

After Nightmare Moon's Defeat
POV: Twilight Sparkle

I try to think of anyway to get him out of here but nothing comes to mind, I can't lift him up and he's too heavy to even drag.

"Twilight, I need to get Luna to the castle's medical wing to stop her bleeding, stay here and try to get Adam back up," Princess Celestia tells me and teleports away with Luna and her severed leg.

I turn back to Adam and examine the damage. The arm and plating can be replaced, but I'm not sure what to do about the hole in his stomach, I need his schematics to find out what's been damaged or destroyed.

"Is he alright?" Applejack asks me.

"I don't know. His core is still online, but it looks like he's shutdown," I reply.

"I hope he's okay, he was very brave stopping Nightmare Moon like that to save us," Fluttershy says.

After ten minutes of examining him, he suddenly twitches, making us all yelp in surprise as he sits up. "Adam! Are you alright? Do you feel okay?" I ask him with worry.

But he doesn't answer, he just stands up and walks out the hole he made towards Ponyville.

"Where's he going?" Rainbow asks just as confused as the rest of us.

"I think he's heading back to Ponyville," I reply and start following him.

"But the Princess told us to wait here," Pinkie tells me.

"I know, but Adam is acting strange. I'm worried that the Elements have affected him somehow," I reply and jump out the hole.

Adam walks along a trail of destruction, this must be from when he was on his way here, small trees and uprooted bushes lay to the sides of the makeshift path. "Adam! Where are you going? Please talk to me, Adam!" I beg him.

He remains silent and continues on through the forest, I stopped trying to get him to reply after seven or so minutes of no response.

A rustle in one of the bushes gets my attention, and to my horror, a cockatrice's head pops out the top. Before I could even scream at the others to look away, Adam draws his pistol and instantly shoots it in the head without even looking at it. He then puts his pistol away and continues on.

"Whoa," Rainbow breaths out in awe.

We continue to follow him through the forest where timberwolves have attacked us again, but Adam fired three of his missiles at them and quickly forced them to flee. From then on, we had no further trouble.

A bright light blinds us as Celestia teleports next to us. "Twilight? Why didn't you stay at the castle?" she asks me with worry.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but Adam suddenly just got up and left on his own; we've been following him ever since but he won't respond to us," I explain to her as we continue to follow him.

Celestia looks at Adam and trots up to him. "Adam? Can you hear me?" she asks him.

Again, no response.

The Princess sighs and steps back next to me. "What do you think happened to him?" I ask her.

"I'm not sure. We still don't fully understand the technology behind him, but I believe this is the work of the Elements as I can feel magic coming from his core," she replies with wonder in her tone.

Adam has magic inside him now? "How is that possible? When we were studying his core, there were no traces of magic in him," I ask her as that couldn't be possible...

"The Elements work in mysterious ways: they sealed Discord in stone, they turned Sombra into a shadow of his former self and imprisoned him deep within the ice mountains, they've once revived a land devoid of life, they banished Nightmare Moon into the moon and just freed Luna from the parasite. It's impossible to say what they've done to him," she tells me while never taking her eyes off Adam.

I look down at the ground as we walk in thought, I then look back up to Princess Celestia. "How's Luna? Is she okay?" I ask her.

She has a sad frown on her face. "She's alive, but her leg was a lost cause as it wasn't attached to her during her purification, it was still tainted by the parasite's magic and had to be destroyed," she replies.

The rest of the journey was made in silence as we follow Adam, sparks and fluids still coming off him along the way.

We finally make it out of the forest and into Ponyville where everypony in town looks on in shock at the condition Adam is in. He starts to stumble a bit as we come up to his Trailer, 'Is there a program in him that tells him to return to his Trailer if he's damaged?' I wonder to myself.

He's just two metres away and the Trailer's back doors open on their own, but before he could get in, his legs give out and he collapses to the ground with a loud thud and clatter of metal. We all gasp and run over to him.

His core is still online but he's no longer moving. Celestia strains her magic to lift him up and hooks him into the station.

I immediately get to work on removing his magazine pouches and chest plating, I then open up his chest panels and gasp at what I see... There are runes etched in a circle on his core and I can feel magic inside it. The blue light of his core has also changed to a prismatic colour.

The computer suddenly starts to download something from Adam, I watch as schematics for this new core are saved into his folder and displayed on the monitor... This is incredible! It's a self generating magical based power source. He still requires power from the battery, but he can make his own magic like a unicorn now.

"Princess... do you know what this means?" I ask her.

"I do. Adam may very well be able to harness magic now, whether or not through spells or technology alone will have to be seen," she replies.

I push my excitement aside and get started on his repairs.

Present
POV: Adam

"And since then, I've spent every day I could repairing the damage you took," she tells me.

I have magic now? "I see, thank you, Twilight," I reply. I also feel guilty at being the cause of Luna losing her leg, but it was my only choice to survive.

"Right then, I fixed all of the physical damage, but is there anything out of place with your programming or code? Are you feeling okay?" she asks me.

I look down for a few seconds. "Please wait while I perform a systems diagnostics," I tell her and run my diagnostics subroutine.

Processing...
Visuals at 100%
Audio at 100%
Processors at 100%
Memory Banks at 100%
Weapon Systems at 100%
Communication Systems - 100%
GPS and Tracking - 0%

Subroutines:
Forced Systems Shutdown - Online.
Self Destruct - Locked.
System Scanners - Online.
Minimap - Online.
Condition HUD - Online.
Emotional Systems - Online.
Magic Systems - Online.

Checking directives:

1 Protect Equus from all threats.

2 Self Preservation.

3 Live.

"I appear to have a new magic system installed," I tell her as I notice a new meter under my condition HUD showing my magical energy levels under my core power levels. My directives also seem to have been changed, although they are perfectly acceptable.

"Erm... you have more than just a new system, Adam," she tells me and opens my chest panels. I look at the mirror she levitates in front of me and see the runes etched into my core. "The Elements altered your core, for what reason we're still not sure, but it would seem you can now channel magic through you just like your normal energy. Though we think you won't be able to cast spells like a unicorn," she tells me.

I lift my right hand and look at it. I can channel magical energy through me? Why? "Is it dangerous?" I ask her.

"Not that we can tell, your core is generating magic to a certain limit and then stops. I've tried draining some of the magic, only for your core to activate and generate more. It's like you have a magical battery in you now that is equivalent to that of an average unicorn," she replies.

"Does that mean I'm self sustaining now?" I ask her with intrigue.

She shakes her head at me. "No. You still need to recharge from the battery to power your original systems and functions, but I'm thinking we could design technology and weapons that you could power with the magic within you. I've already started designing a rifle that fires bolts of magic instead of metal... but it's not going so well to be honest, I'll need to see how your rifle works to get a better picture," she tells me and closes my chest panels.

"I see..." I'm not sure if I should let her, that would mean since she's an Equestrian, the other nations will have to be allowed the technology as well. "How is Luna doing?" I ask her in hopes of changing the subject.

She now has a sad expression on her face. "Not well. Her wound has healed and she's used to walking on three legs now, but ponies are terrified of her and won't approach her," she replies and shakes her head with a sigh.

Processing... "Can you reattach my plates and pouches? I'd like to go and meet her," I ask her. I may not be able to give her biological leg back, but I can at least build her a prosthetic one.

She levitates my chest plate over from the rack. "Oh erm... Sure, just let me tell the others that we'll be heading back to Canterlot for a while. While you were out, I kinda moved into the Library here so I could stay with my new friends and keep repairing you. Celestia has even let you stay if you want, the town sees you as a hero for saving it from Nightmare Moon," she tells me and locks my plates into place, followed by the magazine pouches.

"I do not see the harm in it. We can always contact Celestia via the radio station should we or she need to contact each other," I reply. I try to unlock myself from my station, but once again they hooked me to it. "I appear to be stuck once again, and I don't suppose Celestia is nearby to lift me off is she?" I ask.

"Oh... right. Hold on," she replies and her horn glows, she grunts as the glow intensifies and I lift off the hook and onto the floor, she then lets out the breath she was holding and pants for air. "Phew, that's the third time I've had to lift you up. Ever since I got the element of magic, my magic has gotten stronger," she says and sits on the computer chair looking tired.

"That is good correct?" I ask her.

"Oh yes, I've been able to perform spells I couldn't cast before thanks to the additional power," she replies.

"Like what?" I ask with intrigue.

"I can teleport much more easily than before and a bit further as well, I can conjure more kinds of items, erm..." she lists off a variety of spells and runes she can now perform, it's very impressive.

"Impressive, Twilight," I tell her, causing her to blush at the praise. "Should I wait here for you to inform your friends about our departure?" I ask her and step out of the Trailer.

"If you want to, you're more then welcome to come along," she replies. "I'm sure the others are worried about you as well; they've been visiting and asking about your repairs and they wanted to say thank you for saving us before Nightmare Moon could've killed us," she tells me and jumps out as well.

Processing... Request acceptable. "Very well, Twilight. I shall follow your lead," I reply and follow her down the street.

Ponies walk up to us and thank me for stopping Nightmare Moon and express their relief that I'm awake again.

First, we stop off at a place called Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie Pie lives and works. Unfortunately, the door isn't big enough to let me in... again.

"I can tell this is going to be a recurring problem..." Twilight says.

"I do not mind waiting out here while you go inside," I tell her.

She sighs and looks up at me. "I'll ask her to come out to see you, just wait for a minute," she replies and enters the building.

After a few minutes of waiting, the door bursts open and Pinkie Pie leaps out right at me. "Adam!" she yells and tackles me right in the chest. Fortunately, the empty magazine pouches softened the impact, I didn't move an inch as she slides down and falls into a heap on the ground. "Ow," she mutters as her eyes roll around in her head.

I reach down and offer her a hand. "Are you alright, Miss Pie?" I ask her with concern, she did just run into something stronger than a brick wall quite fast after all.

She raises a hoof and I grasp it, with a gentle pull I lift her back up so she's standing on her own again. "Yeah I'm good... Ow... You know, you're tougher than a brick wall. Oh! And just call me Pinkie! All my friends do," she tells me while rubbing her forehead.

She couldn't have read my thought processes... Yet another aspect of her to examine at a later date. "I am happy to hear that, Pinkie," I tell her.

"Great! Also, good to see you up and about again, we were all worried about ya after you saved us from mean ol' Moony!" she says and hops around me.

I rotate my head back and forth as I watch her. "You are welcome, Pinkie. I am just glad I was able to arrive in time," I answer.

She then stops and looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. "What was it like losing your arm?" she randomly asks me.

"Pinkie! That's not something you just ask somepony!" Twilight scolds her.

I place my right hand on Twilight's back. "It's alright, Twilight," I tell her and look at Pinkie. "I couldn't tell you, Pinkie as I do not feel pain or sensations, all I can say is that I only lost a functional limb," I inform Pinkie and lift my new left arm up. "Which as you can see, was replaced."

She frowns and then gasps. "Are you going to do the same for Luna? She's good at hiding it, but I can tell she's really upset over losing her leg," she asks me.

I nodded to her. "I shall inform her that I could possibly build her a prosthetic leg to replace the one she lost, but I will need to study up on pony anatomy first; which will not take long," I reply.

She grins widely at that. "That’s super duper! Having her leg back, even a robo-one would make her feel better!.. Why are you still here? Go right now! The sooner you do it the sooner Luna will feel better!" she tells me and tries to push me away, with no progress at all.

"But what about the others? We still need to tell them where we're going," Twilight explains to Pinkie.

"You just let ol' aunty Pinkie Pie worry about that! So get going the both of ya!" she tells us and begins hopping off into town.

"Okay... I guess," Twilight mutters to herself. "I guess we'll just pick Spike up from the Library and then take the Trailer to Canterlot," she tells me.

"Alright," I reply and we walk to the Library.

Twilight enters while I wait for her by the Library's sign, she then returns a few minutes later with Spike on her back.

"Hey, Adam! It's great to see you're okay," he tells me.

"Thank you, Spike. I'm glad to still be operational. Should Nightmare Moon have aimed just a bit higher with her horn, we may have all died, including her," I reply.

He goes wide eyed at that and gulps nervously. "Oh yeah, your core can go boom can't it..." he says quietly.

I nodded at him. "I will have to research a method to increase my chest cavity's plating to be even stronger; while it is dense and durable, titansteel has proven vulnerable to magical energies," I say.

"I'll help you when you eventually start it, but we need to get going if we're going to make it before the Canterlot traffic rush crowds the streets, making it impossible for the Trailer to get through," Twilight tells me.

We make our way through town getting more praise for our deeds. We reach the Trailer and I spot two colts near the back doors.

"How do we get in? I bet there's a ton of neat stuff inside! You saw the big guy that came out, what if there is more of them in there!?" the short chubby looking blueish grey colt with a pair of scissors for a mark says to the tall lanky tan colt with a snail for a mark.

"Errr. I don't think we should be doing this, Snips. We could get in deep trouble," the lanky one replies.

"Oh quit ya worrying and help me open the doors!" the short one named Snips retorts.

They try to open the doors with their hooves and I walk up behind them and look down. They stop as my shadow covers them and they slowly turn to stare at my feet, they then look up and go wide eyed as I continue to stare at them.

"What do you hope to achieve by getting inside my Trailer?" I ask them.

"Eh he... We erm, just wanted to look around a bit," Snips says and nudges the other colt. "Right, Snails?" he asks the other colt.

"Oh! Uh-huh!" Snails replies, nodding his head rapidly.

"I would recommend not trying to do so again as there are items in there that could harm you or someone else. Please leave as we are about to depart for Canterlot," I inform them.

"Hehehe, you got it! Come on, Snails!" Snips replies and tells his lanky friend as he runs off.

"Hey! Wait for meeee!" Snails yells at his now retreating friend and chases after him.

"Good thing your Trailer has such a sophisticated locking system on it," Twilight says to me.

"Very, shall we depart now?" I reply and ask.

"Yes, I think we got three hours before early work hours end," she informs me and I wirelessly unlock the Trailer.

She gets into the passenger seat with Spike on her lap while I get into the driver's seat. Once she's strapped in, I shift the Trailer into reverse and back up slowly to turn around. I then shift into first and slowly leave the town until I hit the main road where I speed up.

I connect to the radio and contact the Canterlot Radio Station. "Hello? Is that you, Twilight?" a stallion's voice I don't recognise asks.

"Erm, yes it's me, Soundwave," Twilight replies.

"Who is that, Twilight? I don't recall anyone manning the Radio Station before we left," I ask her without looking away from the road.

"Oh, right, you were offline at the time. Princess Celestia wanted to have somepony always at the station to receive any reports from the guards as they now have their own radios. Though they're a bit on the large side as they have to be worn in a saddle bag, transmitter on the left and the receiver on the right," she tells me.

"Twilight? Who's that with you?" Soundwave asks her.

"Oh right. I haven't reported back yet, it's Adam and he's back online again!" Twilight explains to him with excitement in her tone.

"He is!? I'll tell Princess Celestia immediately, she's going to be so relieved," the stallion replies.

"Can you also inform her that we're on our way to Canterlot right now as well to meet her and Princess Luna?" Twilight asks him.

"Sure thing, Twilight. They’ll meet you at the Lab," he replies and the radio goes silent.

We continue along the road towards Canterlot, passing by some ponies who are pulling carriages with other ponies in them... I would guess humans may find that amusing or ironic.

After an hour and a half of driving, we arrived at the city gates and the guards let us through where I follow the road back to the Castle at a slow pace.

I park the Trailer inside the Lab through the large doorway where Celestia and Luna are waiting for us. Luna is a foot shorter than Celestia and her coat is a deep blue while her mane and tail look more like a calm night rather than a raging cosmos.

I step out of the Trailer followed by Twilight and Spike, I walk up to the Princesses and nodded to them. "Good afternoon, Celestia, Luna," I greet them.

"Good afternoon, Adam. I'm so glad to see you back on your hooves. I trust you are in perfect health?" Celestia replies and asks me.

"I am fully functional once again thanks to Twilight's diligent work," I answer her.

I glance at Luna to see her looking away with a shameful expression. "Please forgive her, she still feels guilty from killing the guards and almost killing you and the Element Bearers," Celestia tells me in a sad tone.

I shake my head. "It wasn't her fault, she had no control over her actions, I know all too well what that is like. Before Doctor Madison rewrote my directives, I was forced to perform any order I was given by a superior against my will. If I was told to shoot someone, I'd have no choice but to do so or my A.I. core would be destroyed," I reply.

Luna then looks at me with wide eyes. "You too were under the control of another?" she asks me.

"Correct, but I am now free of those directives and make my own decisions," I reply.

She limps up to me with a sad smile. "Thank you for stopping me before the parasite could do anymore damage or take anymore lives, Adam," she says.

I nodded in reply. "And I apologise for taking your leg, but my self preservation directive forced me to do so to survive," I tell her.

Her sad frown returns and she looks way again. "I-It's alright, better this than the alternative," she says sombrely.

"If you'd like, I could build you a new leg," I inform her.

She looks back at me with wide eyes, as does Celestia. "You can make me a new leg?" she asks stunned.

I nodded again. "Yes. I'll have to study up on pony anatomy first and take some scans of your other leg for dimensions, but it should be possible. Humans call them prosthetic limbs, they're connected to the remaining nerves through a socket which control the artificial muscles in the limb. Although you won't feel any sensations or sense of touch through it at all," I explain to her.

She looks down as she holds out the stump of her left foreleg in thought for a few seconds, then back at me. "I'd like that very much please. Walking on three legs has been... troublesome, during the last two weeks. If you are able to give me a new leg, then I accept your offer," she replies with a bow.

"Very well, be warned that after the operation it will be painful or very sore until your body adapts to the new limb. If there is nothing else to discuss, I'd like to get started on studying for the operation. Princess Luna, please hold still while I scan your right foreleg," I inform her. She remains still as I save her leg's width, length, diameter, and weight. "Scan complete. I should have the leg built in two weeks time."

"Thank you for helping my sister, Adam. You'll find the best medical and anatomy books in the Castle’s medical wing. Twilight, can you escort him there and help him learn as much as possible?" Celestia requests of Twilight.

"Of course, Princess. Come on, Adam, let's get started!" Twilight replies and I follow her out into the Castle.

It only took me a few hours to read every book, chart, and image on pony anatomy and physiology and I am now confident enough to begin building a new functional leg for Luna with what I have just learnt.

One Week Later

Using the lab's facilities -which now has its own basic computers to store files, records, and research results- I have finished constructing the skeletal frame of the leg using the titansteel remains of my plating that was too severely damaged to repair; Celestia used her magic to melt down the metal and poured it into the moulds I had made. This will ensure the leg's structural stability and make it near impossible to cut off again. I have also finished the socket that will be attached to her leg first so the prosthetic can be removable for maintenance.

I'm now working on the nanofiber muscles that will connect to the nerves in the remains of her leg. Princess Luna is standing beside me, watching with fascination as I slowly weave the fibre together over the titansteel frame.

"Humans have such wondrous inventions. Before my banishment, the most we had technology wise were carriages and windmills," she informs me.

"Humans don't have magic at their convenience, so they focused solely on science and technology. It was thanks to their intelligence and technology that they became the dominant species on the planet," I tell her as I finish the muscles for the pastern, fetlock, cannon, and the knee.

"What other wonders do the humans have?" she asks me, eager to know more.

Over the last week, Luna has been visiting me as much as possible whenever she could. Calculations suggest it to be a kinship to having our own actions stripped from us and the fact I do not fear her, I notice the other scientists keeping their distance from her whenever she visits, like they are right now.

Her personality has mostly been gloomy whenever she was in another part of the Castle, but she instantly lights up when she talks to me. As far as I can tell, she is a kind and very caring individual; the exact opposite of Nightmare Moon.

"They have accomplished many feats ranging from medical, life-convenience, and the military. One of mankind's greatest achievements is building a colony on the Earth's moon," I tell her in reply to her question.

She gasps at that information. "They have reached their moon? And their moon's caretaker allowed them to do this?" she asks with surprise.

"The Earth has no caretakers for the sun and moon. The planet naturally orbits the sun at a distance of one-hundred and forty-nine point six million kilometres away, while the moon orbits the Earth," I tell her and get started on the upper leg muscles.

"Amazing. Please, tell me more about this colony on the moon," she asks me with child like glee in her eyes.

Six Days Later

Scanning prosthetic for imperfections...
Scanning...
Scanning...
Scans complete, none detected.

I lift the leg off the table and hold it out to Luna who looks at it with awe. "This is to be my new leg?" she asks and leans closer to examine it, it's the same colour as her coat, but still looks metallic with the thin layer of steel plating over the nanofiber muscles with a radio panel on the cannon area.

"Correct. I have also built a radio into it behind this panel so you can contact the Canterlot Radio Station or to listen in to its channels, there is also one of the new crystal batteries inside that you'll need to recharge with your magic at least once a week to power the radio and the on board processors to move the nerve receptors that are connected to the socket, it transfers your brain's electrical impulses and will react to how you wish to move it," I explain.

While I was finishing the leg, Twilight continued her research on radio waves and to see if magic could be used to boost their signals. The other scientists have also warmed up to Luna after seeing her being so friendly to me, even greeting her during her visits the last three days, which made her even happier.

During the week, winter has also rolled in. I was surprised when I found out the ponies manually control the seasons of Equestria.

"Is it ready to be attached now?" she asks with hope.

"Yes. We'll just need to procure an operating room where I will surgically attach it to you," I reply and pick up the socket.

"That is wonderful, I shall inform my sister of the news at once!" she says and teleports out of the room.

"So the leg's finally done? This will be an amazing revolution to medical science should this work. Imagine all the ponies who've lost limbs that can have new ones to replace them," Twilight says with excitement.

"Unfortunately, I don't believe it will work with a pegasus' wings as they require magic in them to allow flight. I am still processing all the information on magic you have shown me," I reply. I've had to focus my processing power on combating Nightmare Moon and constructing the prosthetic leg for Luna over the last few weeks to file through the data.

"I know, but I may be able to find a way to combine it with magic later, but right now, this is about Princess Luna," she says as we wait for the Princesses to return.

After a few minutes of waiting where I go over the leg and socket one more time just to be sure it’s functional, both Princesses teleport into the lab where Luna has a large smile on her face.

"Let us be off then! I cannot wait to have my left foreleg back," Luna says and grunts as her magic lifts me off the floor by an inch before she stops and gasps for air. "By the stars! You weigh over a ton!" she says between breaths.

Celestia giggles at the reaction. "One point six to be exact. I had the same reaction when I first tried to lift him, though he was missing an arm and a leg at the time," she tells her sister.

Luna frowns with a pout and glares at her sister. "Yes, well. Can we please get going? I do not wish to wait any longer than I need to," she says with a childish tone as the others chuckle and giggle at her.

"Hehehe," I chuckle as well, causing everyone to stop and stare at me with wide eyes. I also freeze in place... My emotional systems should not have the coding to emulate laughter.

"Did... did you just laugh?" Twilight asks with shock.

I then turn to look at her. "I believe I just did, though my coding should not be able to allow me to do so," I reply.

"Fascinating! Perhaps this is also a side effect of the Elements? To give you more life like emotions?" she theorizes.

"Possibly, I'll perform an in-depth diagnostics scan tonight. Right now, I should begin Luna's operation," I reply.

We all leave the Lab where Celestia leads us to the medical wing, a room has already been set up with other Doctors and Nurses on standby.

"This is where you shall perform the operation, Adam. Please be careful," Celestia tells me with a worried expression.

"No need to worry Celestia. I'll make sure the operation is a success," I reply and enter the room.

There's a large medical style bed in the centre with trays, cabinets and shelves filled with surgical tools and equipment along the walls. Though I do not see any heart monitors or other medical devices, good thing I can monitor her vitals myself with my scanners.

"I need Luna to lay on the bed on her right side, do you have any anaesthetic to put her to sleep?" I tell her and ask the others.

"Anaesthetic? I don't know what that is, but we use spells to put the patient into a deep sleep, then we use a numbing spell to temporarily remove all feeling to the body," one of the Doctors informs me.

I nodded in understanding. "Then please perform them so I may begin," I ask the Doctor.

His horn glows and Luna quickly falls asleep after a few seconds, his horn glows a second time, adding the numbing effect. "It's done. You may begin when ready," he tells me.

"Thank you," I reply and stand next to Luna.

I pick up a bone saw and begin removing the amount of coagulated skin, muscle and bone from the stump that I need to remove before hand; I can hear Twilight hiss in discomfort from the action. Once removed, I put the socket in place and drill four screws into the bone to hold it in place. I then use my plasma cutter on a low setting to fuse and seal the skin to the socket and stop the bleeding.

I scan the socket and watch as it connects to the nerves one by one, after two minutes, it's completed.

Taking the prosthetic leg from Celestia's magic, I attach it into the socket where it locks into place. I apply some of their antibacterial medicine to the burned skin connected to the socket and wrap up the area with gauze.

Once completed, I stand back and scan the socket and leg one more time.

Scanning...
Scanning...
Operation successful. Socket has been connected. Awaiting results for nerve ending assimilation.

"The operation is complete, all we have to do now is wait for her nerves to accept the socket and begin to move her new leg," I tell everyone present.

Celestia sighs in relief. "Thank you, Adam. I'm sure my sister will be very happy with her new leg," she says to me with a smile.

"It is no trouble at all, I am the one who took it from her in the first place, it is the least I can do to repay her," I reply and then look to the Doctors. "Once the numbing spell wears off, you must not apply anymore, the pain she'll feel will be from her nerves trying to move the leg. She'll be in pain for the next three or four days as they assimilate," I inform them.

"Very well, we should leave her to rest while she still can," Celestia says and we all leave the room, except for a Nurse who’ll watch over Luna.

Chapter 9: This Means War

The War Machine
Chapter 9: This Means War

After Luna's operation, Twilight and I returned to the Lab while Celestia went back to the throne room. I locked myself into my station in the Trailer and ran a thorough diagnostic scan on my emotional systems.

It appears that the Elements have rewritten the code to allow a broader more natural range of emotions, allowing me to laugh and even get upset. I am not sure what to think about this.

By the time I was done, it was morning already.

"Good morning, Adam," Twilight greets me as she walks in.

I unlock myself and step out of the Trailer. "Good morning, Twilight," I reply.

"Thought I'd let you know that Luna is awake and is not a happy camper," she tells me.

"I see, I shall go and visit her then," I say to Twilight and head into the Castle.

I walk along the halls to the medical wing while ponies passing by smile, nodded, and wave at me; I couldn't return the smiles but I did nod and wave back.

I reach the medical wing and a Nurse leads me to Luna's room where I can hear voices behind the door.

"As your Princess, I order you to apply a numbing spell!" I hear Luna say.

"I'm sorry, Princess Luna, but Princess Celestia has ordered us not to do so," a mare replies to her.

"Then I'll just apply it myself," the Princess says angrily.

I open the door and step inside. "I am afraid you'll just have to bear with it, Luna. As I told you before, the pain is your nerves trying to connect with the prosthetic limb," I explain to her.

She glares at me, then hisses as the prosthetic twitches slightly. "Still doesn't make this any less pleasant," she replies and lays her head back on the pillow.

"Would you rather have the pain numbed where there's a very high chance that your nerves will never move your leg, or feel some discomfort for a few days to have full control of the leg?" I ask her.

She sighs and waves her right foreleg at me. "Fine, I see your point," she says and hisses in pain as the prosthetic twitches again. "Still doesn't make me feel any better," she mumbles quietly.

I have an idea that might get her mind off it for a while. "Would you like me to show you how the radio works?" I offer her.

"Very well," she replies with a nod.

I stand beside her and open the panel on her leg, revealing two dials and two buttons. "The left dial changes the radio frequency while the right dial changes the volume, pressing the right button allows you to contact the radio station while the left turns the radio on and off," I explain to her.

She winces in discomfort again as her horn glows, she presses the power button with her magic and the screen indicating the frequency and volume lights up with the classical channel playing. I find it amusing as she just stares at her new leg while music is playing from it.

"So, how do you like it?" I ask her.

She blinks a few times and looks up at me. "It is incredible, how long will -ow- will it take until I can move it?" she replies and then asks me.

"Another two to three days at most, by then your nerves should have assimilated with the socket and then to the prosthetic. The leg can also be removed for maintenance and repairs," I tell her.

She turns the frequency dial and finds the trance genre channel.

Her head starts bobbing up and down to the beat with a smile on her face, though she does wince every now and then in pain.

"What manner of music is this? I've never heard of its kind before," she asks me.

"The genre is called trance using synthetic and percussion instruments. Equestria has no synthesizers from what I have seen," I reply.

"I see," she mumbles and continues to listen to the music.

"I must return to the Lab, I have something to discuss with Twilight. I am glad to see you are alright and hope the music at least helps take your mind off the pain," I say to her and head for the door.

"Thank you, Adam. It is better than just lying here with nothing to do," she replies and closes her eyes, enjoying the music even more.

One Month, One Week and Four Days Later

I've sorted through most of the files and data on magic I've read and taken pictures of during the first two days after visiting Luna, it would seem my maximum magical output is three-hundred and fifty thaumics. Just as Twilight said, the amount of an average unicorn. Twilight herself is now at nine-hundred and twenty-four thanks to her Element, she was at four-hundred and seven beforehand.

Celestia has two-thousand, three-hundred and eighty-one thaumics while Luna is five-hundred below her.

Luna is now out of the medical wing and walking around with her new leg, she's thanked me numerous times and has given me something she calls a wishing star, a small crystal vial with a strong energy source inside it. She says it's a star she has pulled from the night itself and placed into a vial and if someone makes a wish with all of their heart, the star may grant it; but it's only a legend started by the ponies she says.

She was also getting extremely bored during her second day in the medical wing, so I let her play with my Ovion and explained to her how it functioned and how to play the games. With how enamoured she is with it now, I don't think I'll be getting it back any time soon.

Twilight, Spike, and I returned to Ponyville for two weeks where Twilight's friends all asked questions on how it went.

After those two weeks, we returned to the Lab in Canterlot to begin research into amplifying the radio signals with magic.

Shining Armour visited Twilight and Spike a few times during our research, she has such a strange nickname for him, BBBFF, which I was told meant Big Brother Best Friend Forever.

I've also done another scan of the changeling we still have. We've discovered the signal coming from it is some sort of biological network and the signal is coming from the south west of Ponyville within the Everfree Forest.

I theorised that it was similar to that of ants or bees, which Twilight agrees with.

During the last month, Twilight’s friends from Ponyville came to visit and went into Canterlot to have fun with her while I remained at the Lab. They said goodbye after a few days and went back to Ponyville where Twilight said we should be back after the radio enhancement tests.

I'm standing in the Lab behind Twilight and a few other scientists who are etching a rune into one of those radios she told me the guards are using after we found a possible way to boost the signals to a longer range.

Once done, they stand back and Twilight's horn glows, my scanners show the magical energy in the rune rising.

Alert!
Magical energy signature unstable due to interference from a secondary magic source.
Device detonation imminent.

Processing... I storm forward and quickly push the scientists and Twilight away, getting shouts of protest from them, I then lean over the radio, wrap my arms around it and use myself as a blast shield.

The Lab shakes very slightly as the radio explodes, fortunately, it only had the force of a fragmentation grenade.

“Holy guacamole! What happened!?” Spike shouts out.

"Adam! Are you alright!?" Twilight asks me with worry while coughing through the smoke filling the Lab.

I stand up straight and examine my chest, my magazine pouches are ruined but the plating held strong.

"I am perfectly functional, Twilight," I reply and turn to face her.

"How did you know that would happen?" she asks while still coughing. "It looked like it was going just how we calculated..." she says depressed as the scientists use their magic to vent the smoke out the large doors.

"My scanners detected a faint secondary magical signature interfering with yours, it was the cause of the instability," I tell her.

She gasps and I start to scan the area for a matching signature.

Scanning...
Scanning...
Scanning...
Signature detected, target located.

I look to my right at a unicorn guard standing by the door who is looking back at me nervously while levitating a few scrolls of blueprints for a prosthetic hind leg that's still in the development stage. Since Luna's prosthetic was a huge success, Celestia has asked me to make a functional hind leg as well at a later date using cheaper, more common and accessible materials.

I start walking towards him, which causes him to panic and hastily stuff the blueprint into a saddlebag before bolting out of the room. I give chase down the hallway, leaving cracked footprints in the marble floor as Twilight calls out to me. "Adam! What's going on!?" she asks, her voice getting more and more distant.

I don't reply but connect to Luna's radio. "Princess Luna, we have a traitor among the guards who almost killed Twilight and the scientists with an explosion and stole the hind leg prosthetic blueprints and possibly a few more. I am currently pursuing the target, unicorn, male, towards the main lobby. Over," I inform her and activate my jet skates, it is fortunate the halls are clear and wide enough for me to do so.

The unicorn looks back and yelps as he sees me gaining on him.

"Adam? Did you say there's a traitor among the guard!?" she asks stunned.

"Affirmative, target has just reached the lobby. Over," I reply and narrowly miss a maid who shrieks in fright.

The traitor pulls the entrance doors closed with his magic as he runs outside, I however, don't slow down and cross my arms in front of me while crouching down and ram straight through the large wooden doors. Ponies scream from the loud noise as I sail through the air and land at the bottom of the short staircase, cracking the paved road beneath me. Splinters of the door scatter around me as I reactivate my jet skates and continue my pursuit.

The traitor yelps in surprise and redoubles his efforts to escape, I don't have a firearm on me and I don't want to use a missile in a crowded area.

"Try to capture him alive if you can, I'll alert my sister at once," she tells me.

"Understood," I confirm.

He looks back and starts to fire bolts of magic at me, but they all harmlessly dissipate against my plating. Compared to Nightmare Moon's magic, these are like someone throwing baseballs at me.

I increase my speed to full and hold my arms out to my sides, ready to ensnare him.

"Adam? This is Celestia. Do whatever it takes to capture that guard without harming the citizens," she orders me. I can just hear the anger in her tone.

"Roger that," I reply.

I'm getting closer, just a few more seconds and I'll have him.

Alert.
Explosive device detected at three o'clock.

I glance to my right and see a small black sphere with a lit fuse on it, a crudely made bomb. It detonates, sending me off course as my right foot is sent into my left. I tumble down the street and into the front of a building.

System malfunction.
Initiating quick reboot.
Rebooting...
Rebooting...
Reboot complete.

I quickly get up and pull myself out of the hole I made, ponies are screaming in fear and trying to get away. My tracking systems still have the unicorn's signature locked and I resume my pursuit.

Scanners indicate the unicorn has taken to the air. I look up to see him being carried away by two gryphons with several of the pegasi guard chasing after them.

"Celestia, target has gone airborne, two gryphons are carrying him away," I radio in to Celestia. Gunshots echo throughout the streets as the pegasi begin dropping, My optics zoom in and see primitive flintlock styled pistols in the gryphons talons. "Update, they have crude forms of firearms and are killing the pursuing guards. Requesting permission to use lethal force, over," I ask.

I hear her growl slightly. "Denied, I'm on my way," she replies.

Seconds later, Celestia teleports in the air and uses her magic to hold the traitor and gryphons in place. She glares at them and turns to take them back to the Castle, but another gunshot goes off which hits Celestia in the chest.

Processing, calculating projectile origin.
Trajectory calculated. Location marked.

I quickly fire off a missile at the fleeing traitor and gryphons, who in a scream of terror, are torn apart by the resulting explosion which showers the buildings below in blood and burnt gore.

I dash forward and catch Celestia before she hits the ground and quickly place her down where the guards tend to her, I head towards the marked location which is an old abandoned looking house and charge right through the front door to see a gryphon packing up a musket styled rifle with a long spyglass like scope, he spots me and pulls out another of those pistols and shoots me in the head.

I don't even flinch as it ricochets off.

I lunge at him and activate my tasers as he attempts to take flight out of one of the windows, but I grip one of his wings and snap the middle joint along with a large electric shock. He spasms for a few seconds before passing out.

I grasp him by the back of his neck with my right hand and the bag with his weapons and equipment with my left. I drag him out of the old building to see Celestia being taken back to the Castle on the back of a cart like ambulance with a padded bed and I follow behind them.

Ponies line the street, muttering to each other as they watch the cart roll by. I scan Celestia to find the bullet has punctured one of her lungs. She's suffering from internal bleeding and gasping for breath, at the rate we're moving, it'll be too late.

"Detain this gryphon for interrogation and lock these items away until the Princesses call for them," I order the guards who look at me confused.

I rip off the harness from the pony pulling the cart, nudge him aside and grip the two side bars in my hands, I then activate my jet skates again and go as fast as safely possible.

"Luna. Celestia has been shot, her left lung has collapsed and she's bleeding internally. Prepare an operating room with Doctors on standby, I'm on my way with her now. ETA: three minutes. Over," I radio in to Luna.

"Oh no... A-Alright, I'll have a room prepared right away... please get her here quickly," she replies.

Once I reach the Castle, I lift Celestia out of the cart and carry her to the medical wing. I arrive and place her down on the prepared bed where the Doctors furiously begin working to save her.

I exit the operating room where Luna has the most enraged expression I've ever seen on anyone to date. "Who did this to her," she asks calmly, but there's a hint of malice under it.

"A gryphon with a primitive rifle shot her while she was restraining the traitor and his accomplices. I managed to eliminate the fleeing targets before catching Celestia and then apprehending the shooter," I inform her.

"They're still alive? Take me to them, I wish to get some answers from them myself," she orders me.

"Negative, you are emotionally unstable right now, you may end up killing him before we get the information we need," I reply.

She glares at me for a few seconds and growls in frustration. "Fine, I shall watch over my sister. You keep guard over the prisoner until we can interrogate him," she tells me and enters the operating room.

Twilight has been silent while Luna and I talked, she then walks up to me with a tear stained face. "Do you think she'll make it?" she asks me with a stutter in her voice.

"She'll need a blood transfusion most likely, but according to my scans, Luna has the same blood type as her so she'll be fine once they repair her lung," I reply. "Please excuse me, Twilight. I have a prisoner to watch over," I tell her and leave towards the lobby.

The guards arrive and drag the gryphon and his gear along, Shining Armour is also here while scowling at the gryphon, I follow behind them to the Castle's Prison where he's shackled, gagged, and tied down to the bed.

I then turn to the guards looking up at me. "I have been ordered by Princess Luna to stand watch over the prisoner until they are ready to interrogate him," I inform them.

"Very well," Shining Armour says. "Star Lance, Morning Glory, help Adam keep watch on the prisoner and get whatever he needs for him," he orders two guards.

The stallion named Star Lance is an earth pony with a big muscular build, the mare named Morning Glory is a unicorn that's nearly half his size. They both salute to Shining Armour with a 'Yes sir!' together.

The others leave as I stand by the wall and keep my sight on the gryphon.

Three Days Later

I haven't left my post in the last three days, following my order to keep watch on the prisoner, one of the advantages of being an A.I. He woke up two days ago and has tried all he could to break free, but it was all in vain.

He also refused to eat so he was force fed by a unicorn guard.

Celestia has pulled through her operation and is still recovering in the medical wing. Twilight has informed me that all of Equestria is in an uproar at the news of the gryphons attack on her.

A messenger squad has been sent to Gryphonia to demand the reason behind the attack just hours after Celestia had her operation.

Princess Luna walks into the room and I nodded to her. "Has our prisoner behaved himself," she asks coldly.

"Nothing new to report, Luna," I reply to her.

"Then let us get this interrogation started, my sister is listening in through my radio," she tells me.

"I have been programmed with a variety of interrogation methods, would you allow me to conduct it?" I inform and ask her.

"Very well, begin," she orders.

The guards open the cell door and I step inside with Luna. I then remove the gag which the gryphon takes the chance to move his jaw around, getting a few stiff cracks.

"What is your name?" I ask him.

"Go jump off the mountain you mechanical freak," he replies with a snarl.

"I'll ask again, what is your name?" I repeat my question.

He spits on my left leg in reply, how he managed to do so with a beak is surprising.

I activate my taser on a low setting and place my left hand on his back for just a second, making him tense up and yelp.

"What is your name?" I ask him again.

"You might as well kill me, I'll tell you nothing," he growls back at me.

"You tell us what we want to know and you'll remain unharmed and well fed, even your injuries treated," I tell him. Now comes the psychological method. "Or I can mutilate your body to the point where no one would ever recognise you again, while you're still alive. I can shut off my emotions, I will feel no mercy, regret, or remorse. I will be cold, heartless, and detached," I explain to him and raise both my arms up and extend my blades.

"I will carve you up like an animal, skinned alive, muscles flayed, arteries burnt to prevent bleeding out, and crush your bones to splinters bit by bit," I tell him with an emotionless tone getting his eyes to go wide in fear. I hear one of the guards throwing up behind me.

"Or, I can leave you to Princess Luna's fury seeing as you're the one who injured her sister. I'm sure she'll have a much worse fate to bestow upon you than I," I finish.

The gryphon looks to Luna who has an expression telling him that she has untold horrors awaiting him.

"I... I-I..." The gryphon stutters in reply.

"Very well then. He's all yours, Princess," I say and back away from them.

A disturbing smile spreads on her face as she lifts her prosthetic leg up and takes a hard step forward, cracking the stone easily beneath her.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you!" he screams in absolute fear, I notice Luna's mane and tail swirling in the air behind her like a flame.

One Hour, Twelve Minutes Later

We left the Prison where the now crying and gibbering gryphon remains unharmed.

The gryphon ambassador Jackaal, told the Gryphonia King that Equestria was holding out on new much more advanced technology and wouldn't share it or the machine that can create it.

They were ordered to infiltrate the Lab after months of surveillance -which Luna flat out corrected as spying- and retrieve anything they could. The radio detonating was supposed to be a distraction so the bribed guard could steal any important documents or blueprints and then meet up at a drop off point at the base of Mount Canter.

Their main focus was on the prosthetic blueprints after witnessing Luna's adjustment to her new leg. Especially when she got angry at Prince Blueblood when he kept on insisting to increase the taxes, she slammed her prosthetic into a column to intimidate him. Instead she demolished it to rubble, causing the Prince to flee in fear. Apparently, I'm lucky to not have a run in with him yet.

"What are your thoughts on this, Adam?" Luna asks me as we head towards the medical wing. She's still in a foul mood because she couldn't rip the gryphon apart afterwards.

"I have calculated two possibilities. One, the Gryphonia King really did order this and as a result, has gotten a foreign leader injured and almost killed along with a group of civilians and guards in the theft attempt. Two, Ambassador Jackaal gave their King false information in an attempt to initiate hostilities with Equestria, he was adamant about getting my technology at the gathering months back," I reply.

"Both are possible... We'll have to wait and see what the reply the squad we sent to Gryphonia will receive, they should have arrived by now," she replies.

We enter Celestia's room in the medical wing and greet her. "Good afternoon, Celestia. I hope you are feeling much better," I greet the bed ridden Princess.

"Much, though it is still sore to breath too deeply," she replies while listening to her personal radio she had brought from her office. Peaceful ambient music fills the room giving a calm and relaxing feeling to it.

"What do we do about this attack, sister? Do we declare war on Gryphonia? Or hunt down the one named Jackaal?" Luna asks Celestia.

Celestia opens her mouth in reply, but a bright flash of light blinds the room and on her bed lies a scroll with three red ribbons on it.

Luna and Celestia stare at it in horror while I'm only confused. Celestia opens the letter and reads it aloud.

"Princess Celestia. The Gryphonian King has been murdered by Ambassador Jackaal while he and his allies have seized the throne. I regret to inform you we will not be returning alive. In your service forever, Ambassador Soft Quill," she finishes. There's blood stains at the end of the letter.

Celestia places a hoof on the stain as tears flow down her face, her expression then turns into anger. "That arrogant buzzard! I've tolerated his threats and demands about technology for years, and now he's not only assassinated a royal, but murdered a close friend and her guards..." she says through gritted teeth.

"Then this means..." Luna says.

Celestia looks up to the two of us. "This means war."

Author's Note

Next chapter I'm writing is for my Terracana fic.

Looks like The War Machine is back on the featured list :)

Chapter 10: Reconnaissance

The War Machine
Chapter 10: Reconnaissance

"This means war," Celestia says with a heavy frown.

I look between the two princesses while processing the information; if we are at war, we'll need to do some reconnaissance of the enemy territory and assets.

"Celestia. I'd like your permission to use the Lab's facilities to fabricate an experimental flight conversion module so I may scout out the Gryphonian capital and any possible military targets," I ask her.

Luna gasps and looks at me wide eyed. "You can fly?" she asks with wonder.

"Possibly, the F Twenty-eight Valkyrie Jet module is untested, but the schematics for it are in my Trailer's hard-drives. With it, I will be able to reach speeds of one-thousand, six-hundred and thirty miles per hour. I shall use it to get visuals of the gryphon kingdom and record any points of interest as well as any assets they may have," I reply.

Both Princesses just stare at me with surprised expressions. "H-How fast?" Luna asks in awe.

"One-thousand, six-hundred and thirty miles per hour," I repeat the speed.

After a few seconds of silence, Celestia shakes her head. "Granted... Just, when you have completed it and are ready to go, do not attack anything without my consent; we do not want to accidentally kill or injure civilians," she tells me.

"Agreed, I shall begin fabrication immediately," I reply and look to Luna. "I will require your aid in melting the materials and moulding them into the proper shapes," I inform her.

"Very well, what materials will you need?" Luna replies and asks.

"Rutile and Ilmenite for Titanium and I'll need Aluminium to forge them into an alloy," I answer.

"I have heard of Rutile and Ilmenite before, but not this Titanium you speak of," she says confused.

"Titanium is a much stronger metal compared to Iron or Steel: it is more resistant to corrosion, rust and has the second most strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element besides Titansteel, but it is much lighter," I explain.

"Alright. We will have these materials brought to you, how long will this flight module take to build?" Luna asks as we leave the room.

"With human standards of forging the parts and components, three to four months. With you helping to forge the metal and parts with magic, most likely a month or two by my calculations," I reply.

We enter the Lab where it's now good as new after the radio detonated, Luna left to retrieve the required materials and I download the schematic from my Trailer to my own hard-drive.

One week Later

Twilight and Spike are returning to Ponyville for something called winter wrap up, she asked if I wanted to go but I was in the middle of fabricating the jet engine of the module and apologised to her. Celestia is back on her hooves and has told me to go with her to keep her and the other bearers safe from any possible attacks while Luna watches over our project.

So here I am on Sweet Apple Acres watching ponies pulling green and yellow ploughs with two wheels and a small roof covering the ponies heads to push the snow off the fields for replanting crops. I also have my pistols and rifle with me as an added safety measure.

"But surely there's something I can do to help?" Twilight asks Applejack.

"Ah don't know Twilight, ya don't seem like ya could push a plough very far, no offence," the orange mare replies.

"I know I can!" Twilight says and stands in one of the free ploughs.

She pushes and grunts as she tries to move it, but gets no results. I then notice her horn start to glow and I walk over to her.

"You know they said no magic remember," I tell her and she sighs as her horn's glow fades.

"I know I know, I just feel useless right now. I couldn't help with the nests, I couldn't help with the ice, I couldn't help with the animals and now this... There's nothing that I can do here," she replies dejected.

"There is bound to be something you could help with," I try to encourage her.

"It's hopeless... Let's just wait at the Library until it's over," she says and walks off with her head hung low.

Spike looks between me and Applejack before running off after Twilight.

"I'm going to go and try to cheer Twilight up," I tell the farm mare and begin to follow after them.

"Alright, let her know ah'm sorry will ya!?" she asks me.

"Of course, Applejack. Have a good day," I reply.

I arrive at the Library and squeeze through the door, Twilight is looking miserable on the couch while Spike is sorting a few books on the shelves.

"Applejack says she's sorry," I tell the forlorn purple mare.

"I know it's not her fault, my skills lie in magic and science... I just didn't think I would be this useless in anything else," she says.

I sit on the floor in front of her. "You are not useless, it was you and Celestia who repaired and saved me, I wouldn't be here right now without you or her," I tell her getting a faint smile in return. "You just don't have much physical strength like the others, but I'm sure there must be something you could do for Ponyville."

"Like what?" she asks.

I go to reply but I hear Applejack arguing with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash outside.

I stand up and look outside the window.

"Ya'll need to melt that snow now so we can get to plantin'," Applejack tells Rainbow Dash.

"On it!" she replies and starts to fly off but Fluttershy calls out to her.

"Wait! All the little animals homes will be flooded if you do it too fast!" she says to the rainbow-maned mare.

"Oooookay," Rainbow Dash replies stopping in the air.

"Go!" Applejack then tells her.

"Stop!" Fluttershy quickly retorts.

They go back and forth until Rainbow Dash loses it. "Will you make up your minds!" she yells at them.

"What is going on out here? I thought my amazing speech would get everypony to do better this year... but it would seem we are going to be late yet again," the town's Mayor says walking over to them.

"Late?" Twilight asks with shock.

"Twilight," I say getting her attention. "you are adept with organising, perhaps you could direct the teams to be more efficient?" I tell her.

She gasps and her eyes light up. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that before? Spike, get me some parchment, ink, and a quill! We've got a winter to wrap up!" she says with enthusiasm.

It only took thirty minutes to organise the teams and get them going, Twilight said I would be more help on the farm pulling the ploughs with my strength.

So here I am pulling a plough with each hand to my left and right beside the other ponies pulling theirs.

"Hoowee, Adam! Ya doin' mighty fine! Same for the rest of ya'll! Keep up the good work!" Applejack yells at us.

It took us two hours, but we finally got it done. The other ponies pant and have some drinks while I just walk off towards Applejack.

"My task is completed, I shall head back to see if there is anything else I can do to assist," I tell her.

"Alright, thank ya kindly fer yer help partner, we just need ta get plantin' an we should be done here," she informs me.

I nodded to her and head into town.

Over the next two days, the snow is carted away and the grass and flowers begin to sprout and bloom. Birds begin to sing and the sun shines brightly.

Twilight was given the title of All Team Organiser and I was thanked for my participation as well. I am eager to continue with my project and asked if Twilight's friends wanted to come to Canterlot with us.

They agreed as there was nothing else to do now for a few weeks and I let them ride in my Trailer with Twilight in the back just to make sure they don't touch anything they shouldn't.

Two Weeks Later

Over the last two weeks, Twilight and her friends have been hanging out a lot in the city and I've been invited a few times. Ever since the attack, gryphons living in Equestria have been put on close watch and any who enter Equestria will need proper documentation and then pass lie detector spells before entering the nation.

The flight module is forty-five percent completed so far and today is the day I test fire the completed jet engine.

It is clamped down in a titanium clamp that is bolted to the floor. "Initiating engine test number one in five, four, three, two, one, ignition," I say and activate the engine that is connected to my core's power supply..

The turbine inside begins to spin and increases speed, the others watch from behind the safety of a blast shield as the engine's roar gets louder and louder.

"Five-hundred miles an hour," I state as the bluish flame extends out the back of the engine made by the energy of my core which is causing the turbine to spin. "One-thousand miles an hour," I state again as the titanium clamps start to shake and rattle. The heat coming out of the engine blows stacked papers off the tables. "One-thousand and five-hundred miles an hour, shutting down engine," I say and cut the power to the jet engine. With the advancements of Human technology, fuels such as oils and petrol are a thing of the past; my core will be more than enough to sustain seven days of constant flight with a full charge.

"That was so awesome! Look at the wall!" Rainbow Dash shouts out as the steel wall used to block the jet flame is scorched black.

"Such force and power! Humans use these Jet engines to fly across their world?" Luna asks me.

"Yes, in the past they used fossil fuels to power them and the first engines used propellers to pull them through the air," I reply and unclasp the engine from the clamps.

"Can that really make you go over fifteen-hundred miles an hour?" Rainbow asks me.

"It should do once I finish it and the new titanium plating I'll need to reduce my weight," I reply and place the engine on the table where I begin work on the retractable wings.

"Cool. Hey, when it's done, do you wanna race? I wanna see how fast you can really go!" she challenges me.

"It would be a good test to see if a pegasus can keep up," I reply knowing full well she wouldn't be able to.

"Sweet, so how much longer is it going to take? We need to head back to Ponyville tomorrow," the prismatic mare asks me.

"Another month at least," I reply. "Luna, could you forge this titanium into this shape please," I ask her, pointing to the left wing on the blueprint.

"Very well," she replies and her horn glows.

"Well, we're off into the City for dinner! I'd tell you not to stay up too late like Twilight, but we all know you can actually stay up all night... or all week... or all the time," Pinkie Pie says with a wide smile.

Twilight just grumbles at being used as an example as they all leave giggling.

One Month Later

Luna has helped me finish the flight module, along with the new lighter plating. Twilight has also completed her project to increase the radio's signal length by nearly two times its normal distance. Speaking of radios, the new personal radios have been in production and selling in Canterlot like wildfire, ponies are enjoying the music and variety available.

The others returned to Ponyville with some more guards as well to protect them, a pegasi watch tower made from clouds has been put together above the town to keep an eye out.

Twilight, Luna, Celestia, Spike, the scientists and I are in the Castle Gardens about to perform the first flight test. My jet skate system has been removed and replaced with the F-28 Valkyrie Flight Module, my tasers have also been replaced with stabilizing thrusters like the ones on the soles of my feet. My titansteel plates have been removed for lighter but not as durable titanium plating made to be aerodynamic.

My boots also have horizontal and vertical flight stabilizers on the sides and heels, though I don't have the new weapons made or installed yet.

"Are you sure that it's ready?" Twilight asks me with concern.

"I did say it was only experimental and untested, but the schematics were sound and I detect no flaws in the module," I reply.

"That makes me feel sooo much better," she says sarcastically.

"I have full confidence that Adam will succeed," Celestia says as I perform a pre-flight systems check.

Stabilizers - Online.
F-28 Valkyrie Engine - Online.
Weapon Systems - Offline.
Countermeasures - Offline.
Altimeter - Online.
Aneroid Barometer - Online.
Radio Connection to Trailer - Online.

"Pre-flight systems check complete, I am ready for ignition," I tell the gathered ponies.

"Oh this is so exciting! I cannot wait to see how well this works," Luna says hopping in place like a child.

"Please clear the launch site, engine ignition in ten seconds," I announce and get into my take off stance.

The stabilizers on both my hands and feet ignite and I lift off the ground easily, with this flight module, I only weigh one point zero-seven tons.

I hover about a metre off the ground. "Five, four, three, two, one, Ignition," I count down and the Valkyrie Engine turns on, quickly spinning up. The power increases and I slowly start to move upwards and forward, once I've gained enough thrust and force, the retractable wings extend as I lean forward and take off into the clouds at two-hundred miles an hour.

I search through my music files for an appropriate tune for my first flight.

I soar past the clouds and increase my speed to five-hundred miles an hour, I bank to my left and turn back towards Canterlot. I continue to climb until I reach ten-thousand feet and level out, I reach six-hundred miles an hour while my scanners and systems lookout for any obstacles in my path.

"Adam... This is incredible!" Twilight tells me over the radio. The others are watching my flight on my Trailer's computer screen through my optics.

I now hit seven-hundred and forty miles an hour where a cone forms in front of me nearly breaking the sound barrier. I increase the engine's output again and hit seven-hundred and seventy miles an hour and break through the barrier, a sonic boom goes off high above Canterlot as I continue to pick up speed. Mach one achieved.

"Amazing! He just broke the sound barrier!" Twilight shouts with glee.

I bank to the left again and begin to circle Canterlot while gaining more speed, I'm flying at nine-hundred miles an hour now and I'm leaving a visible trail at my wing tips.

"Fascinating, no living being on Equus can fly this fast," Luna says.

I'm now at one-thousand miles an hour and begin stress testing the wings, I perform barrel rolls, corkscrews, loops and other maneuvers which put a lot of strain on the wings. It seems I cannot go beyond one-thousand miles per hour if I wish to keep manoeuvrability.

"Test flight of the F-Twenty-eight Valkyrie Flight Module is a success, returning to landing zone, over," I say over the radio.

"Alright, Adam. We'll meet you out there," Twilight says and the radio cuts out.

I activate the air brakes and begin my descent, I reduce speed to one-hundred miles an hour and hold my hands out and begin to level off my height and slow myself down to a hover above the Gardens as the wings retract so they're pointing down.

Just before I touch down, my left hand stabilizer bursts and I tilt to the left. With a heavy thud, I go visor first into the dirt leaving a one inch deep impression.

"Adam! Are you alright!?" Twilight asks me with worry as I pull myself out.

I shake my head to shake off the loose bits of dirt on my visor. "I am fine Twilight, it appears the left stabilizer overheated, I will have to increase the cooling systems to ensure it will not happen again," I reply and stand up.

"Oh thank Celestia, I thought something worse happened," she says and sighs.

Luna walks up to me with a wide smile. "That was a grand performance my friend! Never have we seen such speed achieved before!" she says with a grin.

"Thank you, Luna. But I must go back to the Lab and fix the problem with the stabilizers," I reply.

"Of course, we must perfect it before your flight to Gryphonia!" she exclaims excitedly and we head back inside to begin fixing the problem.

Two Days Later

I have solved the cooling problem and have tested it by hovering in place for three hours. The Canterlot newspapers have made a headline on my little performance, stating that the Wonderbolts are no longer the fastest flyers in Equestria compared to me. I can't deny that, I doubt any living creature could fly faster than technology could produce.

Rainbow Dash flew up to Canterlot and instantly challenged me to a race once she heard about my test flight. I tried to refuse but she wouldn't take no for an answer, so here I am preparing to take off for flight test number two.

"You ready to eat my dust, Adam!?" Rainbow taunts me.

"I am merely testing out the new stabilizers and making sure nothing in the engine has degraded since the first test," I reply.

"Uh-huh, sure, whatever helps you feel better," she says and gets into position to take off.

"Are you sure about this, Adam? I don't want to see Rainbow get hurt, both physically and her pride," Twilight says to me.

"I do not wish to hurt her either, but I will still consider this a field test and push the engine and systems to their limits," I reply and get ready myself.

"Alright, just don't be too hard on her," she says and steps back.

"Ten seconds until ignition," I say aloud and turn on my stabilizers and hover in the air, the new cooling systems working like a charm.

"Three, two, one, ignition," I say and Rainbow takes off towards the next mountain.

The engine powers on and the turbine starts spinning quickly, I lean forward as the wings extend and take off after Rainbow Dash.

It takes me five minutes to catch up as Rainbow is flying a good three-hundred and twenty miles an hour already.

I pull up beside her and she looks at me stunned. "Wha!? No way!" she says and pushes herself more.

Increasing my own speed, I rocket past her and break the sound barrier as I reach the mountain.

I bank to the right and go around the mountain and head back towards Canterlot, passing Rainbow Dash in the process. I land in the Gardens and we wait a few minutes for Rainbow to arrive, she lands on the grass and looks quite angry.

"I don't know how but you must have cheated somehow!" she accuses me.

"I have done no such thing, my flight module can produce more force and thrust than a pegasi's wings can. This was just the inevitable outcome," I reply and check my systems.

"Yeah right! No pony is faster than me!" she yells at me.

"I am not a pony, this is just what this flight module was designed for, flying at high speeds to scout and attack targets. Would it shock you to learn that humans have created an unmanned aircraft capable to reaching speeds of thirteen-thousand miles an hour?" I reply.

"Wha... b-but, no way is that possible!" Rainbow frowns at me while the others are surprised by how fast it can go.

"But it is, now if we are done, I have to prepare for my flight to Gryphonia," I say to her and walk over to my Trailer to recharge my core to full.

"Rainbow Dash," I hear Twilight talking to the pegasus. "You're still the fastest pegasus in Equestria, it's just Adam's technology was built to go that fast, if a pegasus tried going at those speeds, I doubt they'd survive the gravitational forces pushing on them," she explains to her.

The prismatic mare grumbles but relents. "Fine, but I'm still keeping my title as fastest in Equestria!" she says and flies off back to Ponyville.

"I'm sorry about that, Adam, she just really hates losing," Twilight tells me.

"I understand, she is competitive," I reply and finish my systems check. "All systems are green, I'm ready to scout Gryphonia, Celestia," I tell the white alicorn.

She sighs and looks to the north west. "Alright, Adam. All I want you to do for now is fly over their capital and the surrounding area looking for anything out of the ordinary like soldier placements or any technology that we don't know about," she tells me.

"Understood, do you have any maps or information I can use before I go?" I ask them.

"We have maps and books on gryphon culture in the Archives," Twilight replies.

One Hour Later

I've read and processed all the books on gryphon culture and the maps of their kingdom, while the country is small the population is quite large.

I have reattached my missile launchers to my shoulder weapon ports in case for some reason I am forced to land and have to defend myself, I also have two Tac-90 Pistols with five magazines each as well as three fragmentation grenades and flashbangs.

"Are you ready, Adam?" Celestia asks me.

"Affirmative," I reply.

"Then you may begin," she says and stands back with Twilight and Luna.

After powering up the engine, I take off towards Gryphonia.

I have been flying at one-thousand and three-hundred miles an hour and have long since lost contact with Canterlot and my Trailer. It did not take long to reach the borders of Gryphonia and I have flown over a few small towns, but I have seen nothing militaristic yet. I stay at an altitude of seven-thousand feet and use my optics to look below while my scanners and sensors keep track ahead of me.

I see the capital of Gryphonstone ahead and get ready to circle around it, I slow down to two-hundred miles an hour and look throughout the city to see soldiers in the streets with the same flintlock rifles and pistols I saw in Canterlot.

But what get's my attention is a crude and rather cheap looking tank with four large rubber wheels instead of tracks sitting in front of the Castle's gates, it seems to have noticed me flying overhead and aims its barrel at me.

It fire's with surprising accuracy as the shell misses me by mere inches, I increase my speed and altitude and continue my observations while easily avoiding the incoming shells.

The architecture looks similar to old Viking style buildings but much more sturdy looking, I watch as soldiers gather in the streets and start manning what looks like artillery cannons on the city walls. I'm now having to actively dodge incoming shells as there are twenty barrels all gunning at me.

My radio comes to life and the voice of Jackaal speaks up. "So, Equestria has sent the machine to come and spy on us? We knew you would come eventually, the King is very displeased with the alicorns keeping that technology all to themselves," he tells me in an almost sarcastic tone.

"The King is dead, you assassinated him," I reply, getting a faint shocked sharp intake of breath from him. "We know you've taken the throne for yourself and you attempted to have plans and documents stolen from Canterlot by bribing one of our guards. It failed," I tell him and perform a barrel roll to avoid more shells.

"And what evidence do you have for this accusation?" he asks.

"The confirmation from the messengers the Princesses sent to inquire about the theft attempt before you murdered or captured them," I reply and notice a few towers with antennas on top of them, must be their radio towers.

"We received no such messengers, and you will leave gryphon airspace right now or we will take this as a sign of aggression from Equestria," he tells me.

"Then by all means, perceive it like that. You have killed or have taken prisoner those Celestia calls friends, she's had enough of your greed for technology and the blood stained letter from her messenger finally pushed her over the edge. You have murdered a member of royalty and almost killed another, your words no longer have any meaning nor credibility," I tell him. "You have made an enemy out of Equestria, and I am their friend, thus, you have made an enemy of me."

I hear him barely growl under his breath. "Oh? And what can one machine like you accomplish?" he asks.

I stay silent for a few seconds. "You don't want to know," I reply and cut the signal off.

I continue to avoid their shells and scan for any other energy signatures, I detect a crude but functional coal based power plant in the northern section of the city. Should we attack, that would be a good starting target along with their radio towers.

I believe I have observed all I can from this distance without getting closer, I bank to the right and make my way back to Equestria.

Chapter 11: Let's Even The Odds

The War Machine
Chapter 11: Let's Even The Odds

I flew back to Canterlot and once within radio contact, I informed them of my arrival and landed in the Gardens near the Lab; Twilight and the others were happy to see I was unharmed.

"Adam! Thank Celestia you're alright!" Twilight says and hugs me by standing on her hind legs and wrapping her forelegs around my waist.

"I am perfectly fine, Twilight. Though I do have some bad news," I reply and she lets go.

"What did you find?" Celestia asks me.

"The gryphons have artillery and tanks, large armoured vehicles usually on tracks, but theirs are on rubber wheels with a forty-four millimetre cannon on top. The artillery guns looked to be sixty millimetre breech-loading swivel cannons that fire pointed shells instead of round shot. They also have a lot of soldiers armed with the flintlock rifles and pistols," I inform her.

"I see... that is a cause for concern, did you find anything else?" she asks with a worried expression.

"They have radio towers set up all over Gryphonstone and a coal based power plant in the northern section of the city. I couldn't see anything else without actually having to go down there myself," I reply.

"Thank you for retrieving this information... I do not know how we will counter these guns of theirs, while not as advanced as yours, they still managed to injure me quite badly," Celestia says with a frown.

Processing... Due to circumstances, I could build some Titan Mark-90 Tanks and loan them to Equestria.

I turn to Celestia and get her attention. "I believe I can solve that problem, I can build a few Titan Mark-Ninety Tanks that I can control wirelessly and loan them to Equestria for defence along with a AH-Ninety-Two Apache or two. I can even help Twilight who's been researching a way for a rifle to fire bolts of magic instead of metal, thus arming your guard to an even playing field," I tell her.

"You would do that for us? Despite knowing you'll have to share them with the other nations except for Gryphonia?" she asks me with surprise.

"I wouldn't have to as long as I build the vehicles myself and not show the schematics to anyone else; they'll be classified as mine and that I am aiding in the defence of a friend, I am not part of this treaty to share technology. As for the magic rifles, that would be up to you as this is Twilight's project," I reply and head into the Lab to remove the flight module and reattach my titansteel plating.

"But how will you forge the parts needed for their construction?" Luna asks me.

That is a good question, I relied on Luna for the flight modules fabrication. "I do not know. I will have to build my own forge and make the parts myself, though this process will take me months if not years to do so, time we do not have," I reply.

I notice Luna looking down in thought and then suddenly look up at me. "What if I was to renounce my rule of Equestria to aid you in these... Tanks’, construction? If I am no longer an Equestrian citizen, the sharing of technology does not apply to me," she says getting a shocked gasp from Celestia and Twilight.

"Luna! What are you saying!?" Celestia asks Luna with wide eyes.

"I am doing what must be done, Tia. This way, Adam will be able to build these Tanks and not have to divulge their methods of construction," Luna replies with conviction and looks at her prosthetic leg. "Adam had kept me from from killing too many ponies on my return and in turn got severely injured himself, he even built me a new leg when he didn't have to... I owe a lot to him; let me do this sister, for him and for Equestria," she says and looks at Celestia.

Celestia has a sad frown of her face as she looks between Luna and me. "I... I don't know... I just got you back, Luna. I don't want to lose you again..." she says with tears forming at her eyes.

"I am not going away, Tia, I'll still visit and call you daily," Luna says and shakes her prosthetic leg. "I just want to help Adam as he has helped me," she replies and hugs her sister.

"Are you sure about this, Luna?" I ask her, this is a big decision she is making.

She turns to me with a smile. "I am. By doing this, I am not only repaying my debt to you, but also protecting Equestria in the process," she tells me.

"Then I accept your offer," I reply and nodded to her.

"I cannot tell you what to do, Luna... but I am saddened none the less. You do realize that by doing this, you may never again sit on the Equestrian throne," Celestia tells her sister.

Luna sighs and looks down. "I do... Let's be honest, our subjects don't want me here anyway since my return, they still fear me as Nightmare Moon... I hear the rumours and gossip around the Castle," Luna replies with a sad frown.

Celestia hugs Luna and sniffles. "I've tried to quell the rumours... but a thousand years of stories and myths are not so easily washed away," she says.

"I know, but this way, I can help protect them; even if they do not like me," Luna replies and lets go of Celestia.

Oh yes, I must tell them of Jackaal’s and my communication. "I also spoke with Jackaal while circling the city," I tell them.

"And what did he say?" Celestia asks with a frown and wipes her eyes.

"He denies that any Equestrian messengers arrived at Gryphonstone and that my flying over the city is an act of aggression. Come to the Trailer and I shall play back what I have seen and heard," I reply and walk over to my Trailer.

I upload the data and replay the flight on the computer screen. Once it was over, I see anger on Celestia's face at Jackaal's statement that no messengers arrived.

"How long will it take for you to build these Tanks and Apaches?" she asks me.

"Seeing as I cannot create new Titansteel as the process is much more in depth than just merging materials together, I will have to resort to making the Tanks and Apaches out of Titanium instead, similar to my flight module. As I have five processors in me, I will be able to control two Tanks and two Apaches simultaneously while the fifth will be for my own body," I tell them. "As to how long, with Luna's help to mould and shape the needed components and I to program them, I estimate four to six months for all four vehicles," I reply.

Celestia nodded to me and then turns to Twilight. "How long do you think it will take to make these magic rifles?" she asks her student.

"Oh! Erm, I believe a few months maybe? I still need to figure out how Adam's rifle works before I start, but I can't do that without needing the blueprints for it..." Twilight replies and rubs the back of her head with a hoof.

"We still have the rifle and pistol from the captured gryphon who shot Celestia, you could use that as a base since it is gryphon technology," I remind them.

Twilight gasps and goes wide eyed. "Of course! If we use that, then we won't need Adam's rifle which means we won't have to reveal how it works! Since the gryphons made these behind everypony's back, we can share its design with the others no problem!"

I look to Celestia with a thought. "Would we need to call for another gathering of nations to inform them of what is happening?" I ask her.

She nodded in reply as I remove the plating on my arms. "Indeed, but it will have to be held here since the neutral location is no longer safe. I will send out letters to their leaders and call for a meeting in one or two months from now," she says.

"Well then, I believe I will need to set up my own workshop to build these vehicles as this lab is too small," I say.

"There's a large field near Ponyville you could use to build it," Twilight suggests helpfully.

"That seems reasonable, as long as that is okay with you, Celestia," I reply and say.

The white alicorn nodded at me. "Yes, I agree. I'll have the materials sent with you before you leave."

"Thank you, but before any of this happens... can you help me get the Valkyrie Engine off please?" I ask them as I cannot reach behind me and safely take it off as I had Luna attach it to my back to begin with.

One Hour and Seventeen Minutes Later

I'm now back in my titansteel plating and my jet skate systems are back in place, as much as I enjoyed the flight module, I feel much more secure in my titansteel plating.

During this time Twilight has applied the magical runes to the radio tower, extending its range from two-hundred miles to four-hundred. This has caused it to reach places called Manehattan, Las Pegasus and Cloudsdale.

I'm sitting in my Trailer where carts and carriages filled with building materials are behind us. I'm getting these materials free as my proceeds from the radio sales are going towards them.

"This should be enough to get you started on your workshop. If you require more, please don't hesitate to ask," Celestia tells me.

Luna, now bereft of crown and Equestrian status, is sitting beside me in the driver's cabin while Twilight and Spike are in the back.

"Thank you, Celestia. I will keep you informed of our progress," I reply and start up the Trailer's engine.

Celestia then looks towards Luna. "Please take care of yourself, you're welcome back here anytime, Lulu," she says with a sad smile.

"I know, Tia. I'll call you later," Luna replies with a strained smile and I shift the Trailer into first gear.

I leave the Lab with the carts and carriages behind me, Luna then starts sniffling and begins sobbing.

"What is the matter, Luna?" I ask her.

"It is much harder than I thought to let go... but I know this is for the best," she tells me and wipes her nose.

I glance at her briefly before looking back to the road. "For what it is worth, I am grateful for your choice. I have come to call this place home and will do what I can to protect it. I was built for war, to kill, but that doesn't mean I cannot protect as well. You have been a wonderful friend these past few months, Luna," I reply. I'd be smiling if I could.

I glance back at her and see her smiling at me with a tear stained face. "That means a lot to me, Adam," she says and wipes her eyes.

"So what will you do now that you are no longer an Equestrian Princess?" I ask her.

"For now, I will aid you in these vehicles construction, and then join you in your siege of Gryphonstone. I will make Jackaal suffer for what he has put my sister through," she replies with a frown.

We follow the road out of Canterlot and head down towards Ponyville. It took longer due to the carts and carriages not moving as fast as the Trailer.

We go around the town and stop a mile out in an empty field, Luna and I exit the Trailer and look around. The ground looks level and flat, perfect for what I require.

"This will do nicely," I say and turn to the ponies that pulled the carts. "Thank you for your assistance, you may return to Canterlot," I tell them and examine the material in the carts.

"If you're sure, we were told to aid in the workshop's construction," a big beige coloured stallion with a dark brown short mane and tail says.

"I am sure. Luna and I can handle this," I reply and pull out a block of steel. I suppose Luna can just mould this into the shape I need.

"Alright then... You heard him colts! We're heading back to Canterlot!" he shouts out to the others and then turns back to me. "We'll be back tomorrow for the carts and carriages then," he tells me and I nodded in reply, the ponies all turn back towards Ponyville and leave.

"So where do we get started?" Luna asks me.

Five Days Later

The workshop is now standing tall thanks to Luna's magic and my strength, we still need tools to fill it with, but the structure is up and is the size of a large warehouse. Luna barely rested as alicorns can stay up for days before needing rest.

During these five days, Twilight has been visiting and has asked if there's room for her to set up a personal lab for herself. I didn't mind and gave her a corner for her to use when the construction had been completed. Luna has also flown up to Canterlot twice to visit Celestia and called her on the radio every evening at eight pm.

Luna and I are currently in Ponyville with Twilight and Spike at the Library, though it wasn't a pleasant trip for Luna as most ponies ran or took cover behind things yelling that Nightmare Moon has returned. Luna looked really upset at that.

"Thanks for coming over today, I have some idea on how these rifles will work, but I wanted to get your opinions on it first," Twilight tells Luna and me.

Twilight shows us a blueprint of the disassembled gryphon rifle with some parts replaced with a new pony friendly trigger and a crystal that looks similar to the magic batteries we developed where the flintlock chamber used to be.

"These look sound so far, Twilight Sparkle," Luna says, looking over the blueprint.

I notice that she's made a system similar to that of a bolt action rifle where the crystal is placed in the chamber and the firing pin triggers the magic within it, sending it down and out of the barrel.

"There's two versions of the rifle, one for unicorns who can recharge the crystal themselves, and another for pegasi and earth ponies who can change out the crystal with a new one, kinda like how you reload your weapons," Twilight tells me.

"I can see that working," I reply looking at the unicorn rifle design. I can already see ways I can reference this design in designing my own magic based weapons and systems.

I then look back to Twilight. "The workshop is finally built, you can start bringing in your own equipment whenever you're ready, Twilight," I tell her and hand the blueprints back to her.

She gasps and her horn glows as a door under the stairs opens and her personal computer comes out along with a few strange machines along with some tools floating in the air behind her.

"What are we waiting for!? Let's go!" Twilight shouts out in glee and runs out the door.

Luna and I share a look before following behind her while Spike stays in the Library.

Two Weeks Later

I now have some tools I had Luna help me make: soldering guns, drills, plasma cutters and more advanced human tools.

I've also begun work on the first Titan Tank where the chassis and power core are completed, I just need to add the automated reloading system, motors, armour plating and have the on board computer installed along with the wireless network connected to my Trailer.

Twilight has begun fabricating a prototype of the unicorn rifle using a crystal battery as a base for the magic bolt chamber, though the first two crystals detonated from being overcharged, fortunately I detected the surges and Luna put a barrier over the crystals before they blew up in Twilight's face.

Celestia has come down to visit twice and Luna went to Canterlot four times while Twilight has been out and about with her friends.

Luna has been sleeping in a room she's made in the workshop decorated with things from her old room in the Castle. We have gotten to know each other better during our work or when it's just us; she's very talkative and energetic as she asks questions about the human world and its wonders. However when we visit Ponyville for her necessities, she's quiet and antisocial as the ponies avoid her.

I'm inside the Tank's chassis welding the automated loading system to the main gun when I hear talking coming from the main entrance.

"Spike said he's in here somewhere, are you sure we should be here? I heard that Twilight says that whatever he's making is dangerous and we should stay away," a high pitched, squeaky voice asks cautiously.

"Ah'm sure, ah remember him from when he saved our farm from the timberwolves, he's a nice guy," the voice of Applebloom replies.

I step out of the chassis and head over to the door while Luna continues to mould the titanium into armoured plates. I open the door to see Applebloom with a white unicorn filly and an orange pegasus filly.

"Adam!" Applebloom shouts out when she notices me.

"Hello, Applebloom. Who are these two?" I ask her as the two fillies stare up at me with wide eyes and slack jaws.

"They're mah friends! This here's Sweetie Belle," she says pointing to the white unicorn. "and she's Scootaloo," she tells me pointing to the orange pegasus.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both, but I am currently working on a project that is very dangerous. I must ask you keep away from here as to avoid any potential risks," I tell them.

"Awww, but you look so cool!" Scootaloo says in a tomboyish tone with a pout.

"And I thank you for the compliment, but I still insist you return to Ponyville," I reply.

"OW!" I hear Luna yelp and I look back to see her kick a titanium plate with her prosthetic leg, sending the plate into the wall where it gets stuck.

"As you can see, it is dangerous," I say and look back to the fillies. "If you still wish to see me, I can meet you at the Library tomorrow morning," I tell them.

"Yeah, that's okay. See ya tomorrow, Adam. It was nice meetin' ya!" Scootaloo says and hops onto a wooden scooter with a little red wagon hooked to it which the other two get in.

She puts on a purple helmet and starts flapping her little wings like a hummingbird which launches her down the makeshift path back to town.

I watch until they're out of sight and turn back to Luna. "Are you alright?" I ask her.

She's holding her right foreleg to her chest which has a bruise starting to form on the cannon area. "I'm fine... I just dropped the plate on my leg is all, it will heal in time," she replies.

I scan her leg to ensure it is not broken at least. "I recommend putting some ice on it to reduce the swelling." I suggest to her and head back to the chassis to finish the loading systems welding.

"Very well, I shall be right back," she says and heads into her room.

One Week and Five Days Later

I visited the Library where the fillies asked me many questions about what I am, where I'm from and what I do. After a few hours of talking they thanked me for talking with them and went home where I returned to the workshop to continue my work.

The first Titan Tank is finally completed. It operates at an acceptable efficiency since it's made from titanium and not titansteel, but it should move at least twice as fast due to the lighter weight.

I have altered it from the original design: it has no crew compartment and is completely remote controlled, it is equipped with two one-hundred millimetre guns that can hold up to twenty shells each with two ten-round Hellfire Rocket Pods on the sides of the turret. An automated Gatling Turret identical to my Trailer's sits beside the hatch. I have only managed to create six shells for the main guns so far for testing today.

Twilight's unicorn rifle is coming along well, the prototype is functional but the wooden frame starts to burn after a few shots. I'll have to show her how to make a lightweight heat resistant material to use for the frame later.

Twilight has also told me of a light blue unicorn mare with a silvery mane and tail that has come into town showing off her magic to the ponies of Ponyville. She managed to humiliate Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash before ending her performance. She even boasted on defeating an Ursa Major, a very large two-hundred and fifty foot tall vicious bear that has the appearance of star formations on its hide. The probability of a unicorn untrained for combat defeating such a creature is zero point three percent.

I'm standing by the workshop while Luna is having a great time sitting in the hatch of the Titan Tank as it shreds across the field with Twilight and Celestia sitting beside me with wide eyes.

"This is amazing! Such a large machine with great mobility and speed. It didn't look like it should be moving with such precision while I was watching you build it, I thought it would be slow and cumbersome," Twilight says as she watches the Tank roar past us, kicking up dirt with its tracks.

I activate my radio and contact Luna. "I am beginning the first gun test, Luna. Please return to the workshop as it is too dangerous for you to stay in the hatch," I tell her.

"Awww, do I have to?" she whines, having too much fun.

"I am afraid so," I reply and she grumbles as she flies over to us and lands beside Celestia.

"You know just how to ruin my fun..." she mutters and crosses her forelegs, making Celestia and Twilight giggle.

"That was not my intention," I tell her and look to Celestia. "Is there anything inhabiting that mountain in the distance?" I ask her while pointing to a tall thin mountain.

"No, there was a dragon there before we managed to get it to move, but it is now barren as far as we know," she replies with a raised eyebrow.

"Good," I say and look through the Tank's gun camera. "Target is the tip of the mountain. Calculating trajectory," I say aloud.

Processing...
Calculating distance, wind velocity, gravitational force and shell weight...
Target confirmed, gun ready to fire.

The Tank's turret quickly turns towards the mountain and the guns raise up. "You're aiming for the tip of the mountain!? That's like... twenty miles away!" Twilight says with disbelief.

"Twenty-two point five miles to be exact," I tell her. "You may want to cover your ears. Fire in the hole," I say and fire the guns.

The gun fires with a loud thunderous bang as smoke flows out the barrel and the whistling sound of the shell soaring off into the distance gets quieter as time goes on.

"AAAAAHHH!" the three ponies yelp from the loud noise. A few seconds later, the tip of the mountain explodes in a shower of rock and rubble.

"By my sun..." Celestia says in awe.

Twilight is moving her jaw up and down at a loss for words while Luna is grinning widely and clapping her hooves together.

"Splendid! Such power! The gryphons will be in for a surprise when we begin our march on Gryphonstone," she says and starts hopping in place.

The rest of the evening was spent with the three ponies conversing with each other while I did a complete diagnostic on the Tank for any possible errors or damage from the test.

Loud banging on the main entrance echoes throughout the Workshop and Twilight answers the door.

"Twilight!" Applejack says in distress. "Is the Princesses in there with ya? We got trouble in Ponyville! An Ursa Major is tearing up the town and the guards can't stop it!" she tells Twilight.

Twilight gasps and looks back at us. I process this information, my firearms won't pierce such a creature's hide and I doubt my micro missiles will do much either... I look at the Titan Tank which still has four more shells left.

"An Ursa Major? Even Tia and I cannot battle such a beast easily as they are resistant to magic..." Luna says with worry.

I turn to the ponies and get their attention. "I believe I can handle this, I still have four shells left, they should be enough to bring down the Ursa Major," I tell them.

Luna smiles and points a hoof at me. "Of course! This would be a perfect test to see how well these shells do against a proper target!" she says more excitedly then she should in the situation.

I then turn to Applejack. "Is the town evacuated?" I ask her.

"Uh-huh, the guards are trying to keep it distracted for as long as they can so the townsfolk can get away," she replies.

I hear an earth shaking roar in the direction of Ponyville and don't waste a second more. I jump up and grip the bars infantry would use to hitch a ride onto the side of the Titan Tank and link up to it, I power up its core and the headlights turn on.

The large workshop door raises up and I drive the large Tank out and towards Ponyville. Luna and Celestia are flying behind me as I drive towards Ponyville at thirty miles an hour, even from here I can see the large purple bear swiping at the pegasi guards flying around it.

I stop near the edge of town and aim the guns at the Ursa. "Do I have permission to fire, Celestia?" I ask her.

"Permission granted," she replies sternly, her eyes focused on the Ursa.

After a quick calculation, I fire both barrels and the shells impact the Ursa's chest, leaving a large gaping wound exposing its ribcage and organs. Surprisingly, it's still standing and glares at me before roaring and charging past the guards towards us. I aim the barrels for its head with the last two shells and after calculating for its erratic movement, I fire the last two shots at it.

The shells impact right on its forehead causing its skull to cave in with blood and gore spraying out all over the street and buildings. The large Ursa collapses onto a house, motionless and bleeding profusely where it lays.

I drive the Tank towards the town which barely fits in the streets. I jump down and arm my missile pods and take aim at the motionless Ursa.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, I scan the creature and find no pulse. I deactivate my pods and turn to the alicorns.

"The Ursa Major has been neutralized," I tell them, they look both stunned and afraid.

"What would have been a struggle for us... you accomplish within seconds..." Celestia says as guards surround us and point their weapons at the dead Ursa.

Luna then looks like a child in a toy store. "Truly amazing! I believe that this will even the odds with Jackaal. Let’s make another one!"

Chapter 12: Mobilize

The War Machine
Chapter 12: Mobilize

Four Days Later

The large Ursa had to be cut up into pieces just to remove it from the town, which is still being removed. The family of the house the Ursa fell on has been given paid lodging in a nearby hotel until it's repaired.

The Ursa was led into town by the very same two colts who tried getting into my Trailer, Snips and Snails, so this Trixie could defeat it. Unfortunately, she couldn't and her wagon was destroyed in the ensuing chaos; she attempted to run away after the town turned on her for making the two colts bring it, but Twilight stopped her and scolded the townsfolk for their behaviour and she is now staying in the Library in a guest bed.

The two colts were grounded by their parents for two months for their foolishness.

Over the last four days Luna and I have been making more ammunition for the tank. We now have: twenty shells, two-thousand 5.56 millimetre rounds for the Gatling Gun and six hellfire rockets for the two pods. Twilight has also been teaching Trixie new spells and they're starting to become good friends.

Twilight is in her corner working on the magic rifle prototype while Luna and I have just begun making the second Titan Tank when Luna's radio picks up a signal from Canterlot.

"Lulu? Are you there?" Celestia asks.

Luna yelps startled by the sudden noise and raises her prosthetic close to her head before opening the panel and pressing the button to reply with her magic. "Of course sister, my leg is currently attached to me," she sarcastically replies.

Celestia giggles at her antics. "I need you and Adam to come to Canterlot immediately, the leaders of the other nations have arrived early and are waiting for you two," she tells Luna.

"Very well, sister. We shall be on our way," Luna replies and lowers her leg.

"Oh and if Twilight is there with you, please bring her along as well as the current magic rifle prototype. I'll see you soon, Lulu," Celestia finishes as the radio cuts out.

"Come, Twilight Sparkle, Adam. We must depart for Canterlot immediately," she tells us and walks over to my Trailer.

An idea comes across my thought processes. "We shall take the Titan," I tell her and jump up on the side and grip the infantry bars on the Tank.

She stops and looks at me with wide eyes. "Why?" she asks confused, but I can see a small smile forming on her face.

"It would be wise to show the other leaders what we are planning for Gryphonia and not hide what we have, it would create distrust between us. There is also a human saying, we shall arrive in style," I tell her.

Her small smile turns into a full blown toothy grin. "I see your point," she says and flies up to the hatch.

Once again I chuckle, the ability to do so still feels foreign to me.

"Do we have to? I don't see where I'll be sitting on it." Twilight asks with worry.

"The hatch is large enough for you both to stand in, it was designed to allow me to stand in it after all," I reply to her.

She looks unsure but yelps as Luna uses her magic to levitate Twilight up and the prototype rifle into the hatch next to her.

"Hold on tight," I tell them and remotely open the large workshop door.

I power up the Titan's core and slowly leave the workshop, I then wirelessly close the large door and lock all the entrances. I then connect one of my processors to the turret on the Trailer to keep watch while we're gone.

I pick up speed and drive the Titan around Ponyville as the Tank would have too much trouble navigating the town's roads, nearby ponies watch as the large machine rolls by. Once around, I return to the main road and drive full throttle at forty miles an hour, I had to slow down for turns but there isn't that many, our speed would be less than half if the plating was made of Titansteel instead.

Luna still has my Ovion and is playing a puzzle game with Twilight during our trip and I had to move aside for carriages and carts heading down from Canterlot, which startled the ponies pulling them.

Twilight then calls out to me. "Adam, I've been wondering ever since I saw your rifle... Why does it have two barrels on it?" she asks me.

I look up at her while a processor keeps an eye on the road through the gun camera. "That's because it can fire two types of ammunition. The lower barrel fires the five point fifty-six standard lead rounds fed from the magazine in front of the trigger, the top barrel fires the seven point sixty-two armour piercing tungsten rounds fed from the magazine in the rifle's stock, but I do not have any ammunition for the top barrel with me," I reply.

"I see, so the lower barrel is for unarmoured or light armour targets while the top barrel is for more heavily armoured targets?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Correct," I reply in confirmation.

"I take it with Luna's help, you can have some of these tungsten rounds made?" she wonders.

"Again, correct. I have five empty magazines but that's it," I tell her.

In all, it took two hours to reach Canterlot. Fortunately, the streets are much wider here and it was not the end of work rush traffic yet. The nobles and citizens just stare or back away as we roll by.

I then radio Celestia to inform her of our arrival. "Celestia, could you please gather the leaders outside of the Lab? I have brought the Titan Tank to show them," I inform her.

I hear her gasp. "You what? Why would you bring that here?" she asks me with worry in her tone.

"To show what I shall be using against the gryphons," I reply.

There's a few seconds of silence. "Alright, just don't make it do any sudden movements please?" she asks.

"Of course, Celestia," I reply to calm her down.

The ponies of Canterlot are gobsmacked to see their ex-Princess of the night sitting on top of the Tank with a large grin still on her face while Twilight looks like she wants to hide away. I'm still hanging off the side using the gun camera to navigate the streets since I cannot see the left side with my optics.

After a few minutes, we reach the Castle where we barely fit through the gate to the Lab. As we approach, I see the other races go wide eyed at the Titan. I carefully park the Tank in an open clearing and let go of the bar while Luna and Twilight exit the hatch with the rifle prototype.

"Hello, Celestia," I greet the white alicorn and then turn to the other shocked races. "Greetings to you all as well," I say to them with a nod.

"Yes, we have heard much about you and your success at stopping the gryphons from stealing from Equestria and your impressive display of flight," a small three foot tall light brown diamond dog says to me. "My name's Rover, Alpha King of the diamond dog clans," he introduces himself and holds out his right hand.

I lightly grip his hand and shake it. "I am Adam. It is nice to meet you," I reply.

An elderly zebra female wearing a tan robe with a few bottles, small bones, and a book around her waist walks up and bows her head.

"Such a beast of size and steel, to witness it is so surreal," she says in a rhyme.

"I have brought it with me to show what I will be using against the gryphons. I do not wish to be the cause of distrust between any of the nations by hiding it," I reply and bow back.

I notice the dragon is the same dragoness from the last meeting and she's frowning at the Tank.

"Is there something wrong?" I ask her.

She looks at me and then back to the Titan. "Is this what killed the Ursa Major in Ponyville?" she asks me, getting gasps from the others.

Processing... It would be wise to remain truthful. "Correct. It attacked the town and the guards couldn't repel it, so I stepped in and neutralised the threat," I reply.

"Why was the Night Princess riding upon it? I thought you weren't going to give the Equestrians these kind of weapons?" she asks.

"This Titan is mine, and no Equestrian has the knowledge to build one. Luna has helped me to construct it after renouncing her title as a Princess of Equestria," I inform her.

They all look stunned at Luna who looks down with a sad frown.

"Is it true? You renounced your crown?" the large five foot tall male gorilla asks, they only now notice Luna is not wearing her regalia.

Luna nodded and looks up at them. "I did. It would have taken Adam years to make these by himself, so I offered to use my magic to speed up the process... but in doing so, I had to renounce any connections to Equestria," she replies.

"I see, then where have you been staying?" he asks her.

"With Adam in his workshop," she tells him.

"So what does this thing do?" Rover asks, gesturing to the Titan Tank.

"The two main guns up front are long range artillery, capable of hitting targets up to forty miles away with one-hundred millimetre shells tipped with a small explosive. The two rocket pods are for taking out hostile vehicles with Mark-Ten Hellfire Rockets, capable of ripping through two inch thick titanium plating. The Gatling Turret on top is capable of firing two-thousand rounds a minute and can hold three-thousand five point fifty-six millimetre rounds, it is used for anti-infantry," I reply.

They just stare with wide eyes.

"Why would the ones who created you make such things?" the gorilla asks.

"As the humans grew, their need to either protect themselves or overpower their enemies pushed them to advance their weapons and technology over time. This also helped to push their medical technology to new heights as well, like Luna's prosthetic leg for example," I explain to him.

They all look at Luna's left leg with surprise, just now noticing the metallic look to it.

"Fascinating... but I apologise, where are my manners," he says and holds his hand out. "I am President Kongo of Simerica," he tells me.

I reach out and shake his hand. "It is an honour, Kongo," I reply.

The dragoness walks up to me and looks down into my visor. "I am Ambassador Scarlet of Drakanus, what do you plan to do about the gryphons?" she asks me.

"Once I have another Titan and two Apache's made along with their ammunition, I will lead an assault on Gryphonstone to either capture Jackaal, or neutralise him," I reply.

"And what will you do with these machines once the battle is over?" she asks while looking at the Titan.

"They will stay at my workshop until they are needed again," I answer.

For the next twelve minutes they ask questions about the Titan, Apaches, the magic rifle prototype and the sharing of the radio towers and the personal music radio blueprints along with the gryphon flintlock rifle and pistol schematics. I have also told them of what I saw at Gryphonstone regarding the gryphon's military assets and power plant. The zebra also tells me her name which is Zimbawa.

"So, they've been hiding more than we thought," Scarlet says with a claw to her chin.

"Princess Celestia!" a guard yells and runs over to her.

"Yes lieutenant?" she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"We got reports over the radio of gryphons approaching Trottingham with some of those Tanks and at least one-thousand soldiers, what are your orders?" the guard reports and asks her.

"How long until they arrive?" I ask him.

He looks at me while still panting. "About seven hours..." he replies.

Processing... With the knowledge I have of Equestria's maps, it will take me four hours and twenty minutes to drive there in the Titan. "I shall leave immediately with the Titan, it will take me four hours and twenty minutes to get there. I believe I have enough ammunition to combat them," I say to them.

"Then please hurry, I'll give word to have the town evacuated before you arrive," Celestia replies.

"Very well, Celestia," I say and climb the Titan and stand in the hatch. "Please stand back," I inform the others.

Once they stand back, I quickly turn the Titan around on the spot and head out of the gate and then out of Canterlot.

It's been two hours and forty-seven minutes already and I'm halfway there, I had to slow down to avoid hitting some carriages and carts coming from Trottingham, most likely the ponies evacuating.

I arrive at the moderately sized town and see the local guard waiting for me, I pull up beside them and jump out of the Titan.

"Greetings, which direction are the gryphons coming from?" I ask them.

"From the west, we've spotted what looks like about ten of their metal war machines and roughly one-thousand soldiers armed with those rifles," the stallion in front tells me. Looking at his armour, he must be the highest ranking guard here.

"Very well, stay in the town and defend it from any who might get past me," I tell them. They only have thin armour, spears, and bows, I'll just have to not let any past me..

"You plan to take them on alone?" he asks wide eyed.

"Correct, my Titan should be able to handle them with minimal damage," I reply and get back into the Titan.

"Alright, good luck out there," he says and they all set up a perimeter around the west side of town.

I drive the Titan to the west and after an hour of travel I come into view of the gryphons.

I connect to Luna's radio to report. "Luna, I've arrived at Trottingham. I have visual of the gryphon forces and will begin my assault, over," I tell her.

"Alright, Adam, show them the error they have made," she replies.

"Roger that," I say in an emotionless tone.

Checking ordnance and ammunition:
Guns online.
100mm shells = 20.
5.56mm rounds = 2,000.
MK-10 Hellfire Rockets = 6.

Estimating incoming hostile forces.
900 rifle infantry.
200 grenadiers.
12 light Tanks.

Current ammunition is sufficient if used sparingly.

Processing... Use main guns and rockets to take out advancing Tanks before they have a chance to retaliate while using the Gatling Gun to cull the infantry.

I aim the guns at two of the advancing Tanks and wait until they are in range, forty-two miles, forty-one miles, targets are now in range.

The guns thunder over the plains as the shells soar towards their targets. My first two targets get direct hits and the shells tear through the flimsy steel plating and detonate, sending twisted metal and gore from the crew into the surrounding infantry.

They start to panic and the Tanks begin to swerve in erratic patterns, I cannot calculate the needed trajectory at this distance without great error. I drive the tank straight for them and get down in the small enclosure big enough for me to sit in and close the hatch.

I dedicate one processor to the main guns, another to the rocket pods, another to the Gatling Gun and another to driving the Titan. The last one I use for speeding up calculations and reaction timing. I have basically transferred myself into the Titan.

I pick up radio chatter and activate my radio interceptor.

"By Avian! What is that?" a gryphon male asks.

"I don't know but open fire on it!" another replies.

We're now three miles apart and through the turret camera, I see the Tanks aim their guns at me and open fire. I swerve to the right and eight of the shells miss while two impact the forward plating, leaving two shallow dents in it.

I aim the main guns and fire one shell at another Tank that's driving in a straight line. The shell impacts the turret and blows it clean off, the crew abandons the Tank with a few injuries.

My plan is to cripple their Tanks so they can be scavenged for parts so the Equestrians and their allies can use them to design and build their own.

The sound of bullets impacting the Titan's plating continuously echoes within the compartment, I aim the Gatling Gun and fire a spray of one-hundred rounds into the infantry front lines. The hot lead rips through the gryphons armour and penetrates into the ones behind them, it looks like one-hundred and thirty confirmed kills.

The left plating takes a few hits from more shells and I aim both guns and both rocket pods at four nearby Tanks as the Gatling Gun continues to fire upon the infantry.

Two rockets slam right into the chassis of two Tanks and rips them apart, one of the turrets was destroyed, but the other survived. The two shells hit their marks and the first penetrates the driver's view port and detonates inside the Tank, the second hits the front right wheel of the fourth Tank and cripples the vehicle.

I'm now down to one-thousand and four-hundred rounds for the Gatling Gun as it shreds through their ranks. I charge the Titan right for them and run over the ones who didn't fly out of the way in time as the turret guns down those that do. I reach one of their Tanks and ram into it, causing it to tip over.

I aim the guns for the next Tank and fire a shell into the side, blowing a hole in the metal revealing the fragged gryphons within.

More of their shells hit the Titan and dent its plating while the grenadiers toss down their crude round fused bombs from above which detonate above the hatch. I turn the turret onto them and mow them out of the sky.

"Fall back! This thing's a monster! Fall back!" a gryphon yells over their radio channel.

The last three Tanks turn and try to get away, but I aim two more shells at two of them and take out their rear wheels. The crew abandons them and flees with the remaining infantry.

I fire off another three-hundred rounds into the fleeing soldiers before stopping and allowing the rest to retreat, I then radio back to Canterlot.

"Hostile forces have retreated, eleven enemy Tanks have been neutralised and are ready to be salvaged, one is still in perfect functioning order. Enemy casualties estimated to be seven-hundred and twenty, over," I tell them.

"Already!?" Luna asks stunned.

"Of course. Their ordnance couldn't stand up to the power and armour of the Titan, though the Titan will need to have the plating repaired," I reply.

They're silent for a few seconds before Celestia speaks up. "And how many of the guard were lost?" she asks fearfully.

"None as they did not participate in the battle, they remained behind to protect the town," I tell her.

"You faced them alone!?" she asks with shock.

"Correct, there was little resistance and after a show of force, they retreated. I shall remain here until a team of guards arrive to salvage and recover the gryphon weaponry and vehicles, over," I inform them.

"I err, agreed. Twilight will also be on her way to examine the still functional vehicle," Celestia says.

"Roger that," I reply and begin aiding the guards in collecting the gryphon weapons.

Six Hours Later

The sun is setting and the guards have arrived with Twilight and Luna. Twilight is having one of her over excited moments while examining the still functioning Tank I rammed over on its side, which was now tipped back over onto its wheels. I'm standing in the Titan's hatch with Luna sitting next to me on the Titan's Turret as she looks over the field of corpses.

The residents of Trottingham have also returned and are going about their daily lives once more.

"So much loss of life... which could have been avoided if not for the madness of one gryphon's greed for power..." Luna says sadly.

"There was an individual in human history who thought his country was superior than the rest and waged war against neighbouring counties and committed mass genocide. It took the other nations to band together to retaliate against him. After years of war, the individual was on the verge of defeat, but instead of surrendering, he took his own life as well as his family with him," I tell her.

Luna looks at me with wide eyes, but doesn't say anything and looks back out at the field of death.

After a few minutes of silence, the still functioning gryphon tank lurches forward slowly and comes up beside the Titan. Twilight's head pops up out of the hatch with a large smile on her face.

"I've figured out how it moves, but I'll need to examine the remains of the others to see how it works. I don't want to risk damaging this one trying to dismantle it just yet," she says.

"Good decision. Let us return to Canterlot, I believe the guard have it covered from here," I say and slowly start heading back towards the Equestrian capital with Twilight driving the gryphon Tank behind us.

Chapter 13: Alpha

The War Machine
Chapter 13: Alpha

After five hours of constant driving and the occasional stop from Twilight stalling the gryphon Tank now and then, we arrive back at Canterlot where the minotaurs had arrived a few hours ago.

It took an hour navigating the streets due to the end of work rush, but once through we park the Tanks by the Lab and greet the others.

"Welcome back, Adam, Twilight, Sister" Celestia says as Twilight hugs her.

"Thank you, Celestia," I say and turn to the gryphon tank. "As you can see, I have kept one of their Tanks intact, along with many parts from the others as well. This will allow you to reverse engineer them and build your own versions," I tell her.

She and the others walk around the Tank examining all of it. "So this is what the gryphons were hiding," Rover says while poking one of the tires.

While they check it out, I turn to Twilight. "Twilight, can you please retrieve one of the shells inside," I ask her.

"Oh, erm, alright," she replies and climbs onto the tank and pulls a shell out of the hatch with her magic. "Here you go," she says and levitates it down to me.

"Thank you." I examine it and confirm it is a forty millimetre iron shell, it's like they took a cannonball and gave it a slight point. Seems they need a separate charge to propel it out of the barrel.

"So, Princess, are you planning to make more of these for Equestria?" Kongo asks Celestia.

She looks at the others before looking back at the Tank. "I'm not sure, such technology would only bring distrust between other nations... The constant threat of something that has the power to level a town or even a city in hours..." she replies.

Kongo walks over to her and places a hand on her wither. "You have my support, Princess. Our nations have been allies for over four-hundred years, I know you wouldn't use these against us," he assures her.

Celestia smiles at him and nodded. "Thank you, President Kongo, and as per the treaty, blueprints of the gryphon Tank will be available to all of you once we figure out how it works," she says.

I look towards the minotaurs and see them looking up at the Titan with a frown.

I walk over to them to see what is the problem. "Is something wrong?" I ask them.

They turn to me and their leader, a six foot tall male with brown fur, green eyes, a toga like robe with small bottles and plants on the belt and a broken horn looks at me.

"We minotaurs are one with nature, we can feel its pain and its life all around us. This metal beast... it goes against all we believe in," he replies in a deep tone.

"Would that include me as well? Since I was built for war and am neither flesh or blood," I ask him.

He looks back at the Tank and then at me. "You have a mind of your own, will, and resolve. Does this beast have it's own mind? It is but a tool, a machine built for death and destruction," he replies.

"True, but it can also protect and save lives. I may have killed hundreds of gryphons today, but I also saved hundreds of ponies from being killed or made homeless with it," I tell him.

He places his right hand on a titanium plate which has a dent in it. "I see," he replies. He then turns and walks to Celestia.

"The nation of Minos supports your choice for building these, but we do not want nor need the means to make them," he tells her.

"If that is what you wish for, Chieftain Longhorn," Celestia replies with a nod.

One Hour and Sixteen Minutes Later

After talking with the other leaders, it was decided that the gryphon Tank and weapon blueprints would be given to those who want them. The dragons want them so they know how they work in order to find weak points just in case they're used against them. The minotaurs wanted nothing to do with them. The diamond dogs want the Tank designs to modify them into tunnelling drills, and the zebras trust the Princess to not abuse them.

I checked in with the changeling one more time to find that the holes in her legs are gone, Celestia tells me that she believes the holes were due to starvation. The magic crystal she has her ponies working on is coming along well, she estimates another month or two before it can be tested.

The signal coming from the changeling is stronger now that I figured out its frequency. It would seem she’s relaying any information she is getting back to her Queen, which isn't much I believe, but I have a good estimate on where the Hive might be located.

Twilight, Luna, and I return to Ponyville where Twilight continues her work on the magic rifle while Luna and I continue on the second Titan after Luna quickly repaired the dented plates of the first. Twilight has also brought Trixie over to start another project of making invisibility enchantments for the guards armour so pegasi can ambush enemies unseen.

We continue to work until Twilight and Trixie leave back to Ponyville and Luna raises the moon.

I weld the last piece of the chassis for the day and step outside, I look up into the night sky at all the different constellations.

Luna sits beside me also looking up at the stars. "Only my sister has ever stayed up with me to look at the stars, everypony else either ignores them, sleeps the night away, or just doesn't care. There are very few astronomers in Canterlot and they only do it to document star locations and constellations," she tells me. "I tried moving the stars once after my return, to make the night new and beautiful... but that brought nothing but anger and demands from the astronomers to put it back as it was... I'm not even allowed to do what I'm destined to do anymore..." she says with a few tears flowing down her face.

I look down at her then back up to the stars. Processing... "Luna, you are the caretaker of the night, they have no right to demand such things from you. Besides, you are no longer an Equestrian citizen, you don't have to do as they demand anymore. You're free to paint the night however you wish again," I tell her and look back to her. “and if they don’t approve, they’ll have to speak with me first.”

She looks at me with a trembling lip, tears flowing freely and she rears up and hugs me. "Thank you. You've been the kindest pon... person to me besides my sister and Twilight since my return," she says and lets go. "I'm happy to call you my friend."

"As am I," I reply.

She then looks to the sky and her horn glows brightly as the stars seem to begin dancing across the sky, shining brighter than ever. Once it was over, a new constellation appeared. It looks like me holding my assault rifle, I save the image to my hard-drive to look back on later.

We continue to watch the stars for an hour more as she tells me the stories behind the ones she knows of before heading back in and resuming work on the Tank.

Two Weeks Later
8:04am

The second Titan is about half way done now since Luna is getting used to making the parts I require.

The gryphons have not made anymore attempts of attacking after my display of force, I can’t help but wonder what they plan to do to counter me now.

I’ve spent some time in town with Twilight and her friends, Luna even tagged along sometimes and no longer cares when the townsfolk shy away from her, she’s showing her true personality instead of her anti-social one which is beginning to make the ponies relax around her.

Twilight enters the workshop with a worried expression. "Adam! We need your help! Rarity's been abducted by a diamond dog clan that’s just moved in nearby! These ones don't seem to be connected to the Alpha King though," she tells me gasping for breath.

I walk over to my Trailer and equip my shotgun with three drum magazines of rubber slugs along with two Tac-90 pistols with five spare magazines each. I also pick up six flashbangs as well.

"Get in the Trailer and tell me which way to go," I tell Twilight and then look at Luna. "Continue with making the Titan's plating while I'm gone, Luna. I'll be back to help as soon as I can," I instruct her and she nodded in reply.

"Alright then let's go, I hate to think what they're doing to her," Twilight says and gets into the passenger seat.

I head out to a quarry Twilight navigates us to, we get out and there are many holes in the ground and signs of a struggle.

"Spike said she was taken down this hole," Twilight informs me. I can see strands of Rarity's mane and tail nearby.

"Wait in the Trailer for us, I have a processor controlling the Turret so you'll be protected," I tell her.

She looks worried but nodded. "Just be careful," she tells me and gets back into the passenger seat where I then lock the doors.

Fortunately, the hole looks big enough for me to jump into, I draw my shotgun and slide down the steep tunnel and land with a heavy thud. I kneel down with my shotgun shouldered and look around, my night vision kicks in and I see a trail of something being dragged recently.

I see bits of hair and hoof marks in the dirt, it seems they dragged her rather than carried her, at least I have a trail to follow.

Running down the tunnels that are barely big enough for me to fit in, I come across two diamond dogs in rusty iron armour and crude weapons, nothing like the armour Rover's guards were using. I will use non-lethal force for now, but that will change depending on the state Rarity is in.

"Who goes dere?" the right one says in a rough deep voice.

I aim my shotgun at him. "Where is Rarity? She's a white pony with a deep purple mane and tail you recently abducted," I demand. My sensors and scanners are being thrown off with all the ore, dirt, and gems in the area.

They stare at me for a few seconds before growling at me, these diamond dogs seem much less intelligent than the ones I have previously met before.

"I won't ask you again, where is she," I demand again.

Instead of answering, they lunge at me with crude spears and I instantly fire a slug into the right one's throat. He chokes and grasps his whole neck while squirming on the ground trying to breathe.

I sidestep to the right and grip the rusted spear head and squeeze tightly with my left hand, I then let go and the diamond dog looks at it where my grip has left my fingers impression.

I lunge forward and grasp him by the throat and lift him off the floor. "Last chance, where did you take Rarity," I ask in a more threatening tone.

He chokes a few times before speaking in a quiet wheezing tone. "We take pony... To M-Mines!.. She f-find gems with... magic..." he tells me and I let go.

"Take me there," I order him.

At first he backs away looking at his still gasping friend, but I aim my shotgun at him and he yelps. "Okay, me take you," he says and walks down the tunnel.

We walk for a few minutes all the while I kept my shotgun trained onto the back of his head.

Through the Turret’s camera I see some dogs trying to sneak up to my Trailer with weapons drawn, I fire off a few rounds near the closest one which scares them all off and also makes Twilight yelp as she didn’t expect it.

The diamond dog has lead me to a large cavern with other dogs now staring at me with wide eyes. I notice quite a few of them without armour but with ragged strips of clothing and young in their paws.

Processing… This must be the living area of the clan as I can see crude mud and stone homes built into the walls.

I nudge my guide forward and we slowly walk through the cavern while all eyes are on us.

"Stop!" one of the armoured dogs shouts and I reply with a slug to his throat.

They back away from the loud gunshot and cover their ears. "I am only here for the pony you took, if she is unharmed then I will leave with her in peace, but should she be injured in any way, you will pay for it," I tell the dogs.

A loud snarl echoes throughout the cavern, I turn to my right and see a large diamond dog that looks like a black pitbull. He's an inch shorter than me and is outfitted with thick armour and has a large wooden club with some scrap metal sticking out of the end.

"And who be you to demand things?" he asks in a threatening manner.

"The pony is a friend of mine and you have taken her against her will. You will return her to me or I will take her back by force," I reply.

He laughs at me and rests the club over his right shoulder. "Pony will find gems for us, she stay," he says and walks towards me.

Analysing weapon... The wood is beginning to rot and the metal is weak and fragile... Threat 1.23%.

He raises his weapon and swings down, I reach out with my left hand and catch the head of the weapon, I then grip hard and shatter the club with ease. He dumbly stares at what's left before I use my right foot and boot him six metres away, I'm pretty sure I heard a rib or two break as well.

He coughs up a bit of blood and stands back up. "What you mutts waitin' for? KILL IT!" he yells and I quickly holster my shotgun and pull out my right Tac-90 pistol and shoot him right in the forehead, the bullet penetrates the rusted helmet with ease and he drops like a rock.

"Bring me the pony now or you will be joining him," I warn them.

The soldiers or guards quickly scramble down a tunnel and return minutes later with Rarity, she looks a little dirty, but otherwise unharmed.

"Adam! You came to rescue me?" she asks and trots over to me, the dogs all stay back cowering in fear.

"Correct, Spike warned the others and Twilight told me. She and my Trailer are waiting for us topside, are you well enough to walk?" I reply and ask her.

"I need a good bath, but I can walk just fine, darling," she tells me and I look back to the dogs.

"Let this be your only warning, you take another pony again, I will not stop with just your Alpha... Understood?" I tell them.

They nodded and one of them, a small light brown dog with a grey jacket and diamond encrusted collar walks up to me and bows.

"As you command, Alpha," he says.

It would seem besting their Alpha has made me the new one.

"I am your new Alpha?" I ask just to clarify.

"Yes, when Alpha beaten, victor becomes new Alpha," he replies.

Processing... I could use these dogs for resource gathering, I look around and notice the poor condition they're living in. Perhaps Rarity would be willing to make them better clothing for gems or gold they have mined as payment, they at least look clean and don’t have any matted fur or any visual illnesses.

"Very well, my first order is to collect as much ore and gems as you can gather. I will use the metal to fashion better tools and equipment for you and the gems will be used to trade for building supplies," I tell him. "What is your name?" I ask the small dog.

"My name is Spot," he replies.

"Since you were brave enough to approach me, I'll leave you in charge while I am away. I will check in every three days to see your progress," I inform him.

"As you command, Alpha. We'll have what you want in two days time," he replies and starts issuing orders to the others, this Spot has a much better vocabulary than their guards or ex-Alpha has.

A couple of the guards leads us back to the surface where Twilight is waiting for us. Upon seeing Rarity, Twilight jumps out of the Trailer after I unlocked it and hugs her friend.

"Rarity! Are you alright?" she asks her.

"A little shaken, but I'll live," the white mare replies and then looks to me. "Would you be a dear and drop me off at the Spa? I simply feel filthy and need a hot bath," she asks me and shudders.

"No problem, Rarity," I reply and we all head back to Ponyville.

On the way I ask Rarity about making better clothing for the diamond dogs with payment of gems or gold, after a few seconds of thinking, she agrees and will prepare for the first ones to arrive when I next visit the clan.

I drop Rarity off at the town centre where she enters the Spa with Twilight behind her, I then head back to the workshop to begin preparing to better the diamond dogs living conditions. Once properly trained and armed, they could be a great help in the coming assault of Gryphonstone.

"Adam, I take it that things went well?" Luna asks me. It seems she has gotten all the right side plating done already, she's getting good at this.

"Very. Rarity is back in Ponyville and I am apparently the new Alpha of the clan," I reply.

She drops the plate she was working on and stares at me. "Pardon? I'm sorry, but I thought you just said you are now the Alpha of a diamond dog clan."

"Correct, their Alpha got aggressive and attempted to kill me, so I put him down quickly with a show of force and retrieved Rarity with ease. As per their custom, the one who defeats their Alpha becomes the new one. I see this as a benefit, as I will train any of them willing to fight by our side when the time comes to attack Gryphonstone. They will also provide metals and gems we may need while I will help in improving their living conditions," I reply and head over to our metal supply.

"Impressive, but won't that cut into our time to finish these machines?" she asks me.

"A little, but I can work all night on them, I can check on them during the day every three or four days," I reply and get some steel. "Now, I need your help to create some basic tools for the dogs," I tell her and we begin creating the required tools for them.

Chapter 15: Artefacts and Negotiations

The War Machine
Chapter 15: Artefacts and Negotiations

After a few more hours of travel, we arrive at the small town of Appleloosa.

Many of the ponies run at the sight of my Titan but a few stand still and even begin to approach.

I stop the Titan and look down at the light gold-coloured stallion with a gamboge mane and tail with amber highlights and a stetson hat on who just stares back up at me.

"W-Well howdy p-p-partner... ah don't s-suppose yer not here t-to enslave u-us are ya?" he asks me nervously.

"Keep yer hat on cousin, he's here ta help us!" Applejack tells the stallion.

The pony leans to the left and looks past me. "A-Applejack? Ah thought it would take ya at least another week ta get here?" he asks her.

"Normally yes, but Adam here gave us a ride," Applejack replies and points at me.

"Adam? Ya mean that mechanical fella ah've read about in the paper?" he asks looking up at me.

"The one and only," she says as I jump down.

He looks back at me significantly less nervous now. "Well, it's a pleasure meeting yer acquaintance! Allow me to introduce mahself, ah'm Braeburn an' yer in our delightful town of AAAaaAAAPPLEOOOooOOOSA!" he announces quite dramatically.

"Likewise, but we have important matters to discuss with your town officials," I tell him.

"Huh? Ah thought ya'll were just delivering an apple tree?" he asks.

"We were cousin, but a bunch of buffalo tried to treenap Bloomberg on the way here," Applejack replies.

"The buffalo?" He sighs and shakes his head. "Ever since we set up town here, them buffalo have been causing nothing but trouble fer us hard working pony folk... They ambush our supply caravans and try to tear down our orchard," he tells us.

"Do you know why?" I ask him.

"No, they won't answer us when we ask them; they just threaten us to leave or else," he replies.

"Your orchard is apparently in the way of their ancestral stampeding grounds. In five days time, they're going to stampede through it whether or not it's still there," I tell him.

"Oh," he says and his ears folded back. "but we need them trees ta live... without them the town'll starve," he remarks morosely.

"They told us they'll be back in five days when their stampede begins, do you know where they are located?" I ask Braeburn.

"Erm, yeah, they're to the south west; they always go that way once we see them near town," he tells me.

"Very well, you all stay here, I'm going to talk to them," I reply and get my rifle out of the Tank. "I'll leave the Titan here to protect you while I'm gone," I tell everyone and activate my jet skates.

"Be careful; I know they're not a threat to you, but please don't hurt them," Twilight says.

"Don't worry, I'll just talk to them. If they get aggressive, I'll just leave," I reply and head out of town.

Twenty Minutes Later

After a bit of travelling, I come across a small settlement with tents, campfires, and other things like grindstones which they're using to sharpen their horns. Seems they're getting ready to attack the ponies.

I place my rifle on my back and walk right up to the settlement where a few of the buffalo spot me, the males surround me while the females and young take shelter in the tents.

"What are you doing here, outsider?" the Chief asks me with a frown.

"I've come to negotiate," I reply.

"Then you must face one of our Warriors in combat if you wish to speak with us outsider," he tells me.

Processing... Task seems to be a traditional custom for the tribe. "Very well," I reply.

A buffalo steps forward and snorts at me, he gets ready to charge and I get into a low crouch.

"You must knock your opponent to the ground to declare victory," the Chief announces. "Begin!"

The buffalo charges at me and I stand still with my legs apart and arms out ready to grab him by the horns. I reach out just as he is within reach and grasp both his horns which pushes me back an inch, I then twist his head to the side and lay him on the ground as gently as possible.

I let go and look at the Chief. "I believe I have won," I tell him.

"Then by tradition you may now speak. Why have you come?" he asks me.

"I've come to ask for a compromise," I reply.

"Unless you're here to say the ponies are removing their trees, then we have nothing to discuss," he tells me.

"If the trees are taken down the town will starve, can you not just go around the town?" I reply and ask.

He snorts and glares at me. "We have stampeded through this route for centuries, we shall not change our ways for some ponies who moved onto our lands!" he tells me sternly.

Processing... "What if a path is made through the orchard and that you'll receive a portion of the apples as well?" I ask him.

He frowns and looks down in thought.

"The issue here is the trees are in the way correct? If a path is made through the orchard then there should be no problem at all, you’d even gain from it," I tell him again hoping to make him see the benefit.

He looks back up to me and sighs. "Very well, if you can convince the ponies of this then we shall agree," he replies and holds a hoof out.

I lean down slightly and shake his hoof. "Thank you, I'll also tell the ponies to talk to you before they expand or add something new to the town," I say and stand back up.

He grunts in acknowledgement and turns back to the settlement. I walk away and when far enough, I activate my jets skates and head back to Appleloosa.

About halfway between the town and buffalo I pick up a radio signal, I turn on my radio interceptor and listen in.

"It's here somewhere, keep digging! The artefact is around here so find it!" a male voice yells out.

"Yes sir!" a few others reply.

This is a gryphon signal. I change course and draw my assault rifle, at least I now have both types of ammunition for my rifle at the ready.

I turn off my skates and slide across the ground and jog the rest of the way, I take cover behind a few rocks and see twenty gyphons and two Tanks. Looks like an excavation site on what looks like an old burial ground.

"Keep looking you idiots! If we don't bring the artefact back, Jackaal will have our tails for our failure!" a gryphon in more decorated armour yells out to the others.

I connect to my Titan and use it's radio to contact Luna. "Luna, do you read me? Over," I ask her.

A bit of static later and Luna replies. "Yes I can hear you, over,"

"I've located a squad of twenty gryphons with two Tanks at an old buffalo burial ground. They appear to be digging for an artefact, over," I tell her.

"An artefact? I shall inform Tia about this. In the meantime, keep watch on them; if they find the artefact, you have permission to retrieve it by any means necessary... Oh, over," she informs me.

"Roger that," I reply and keep watching.

After seventeen minutes of nothing, Luna contacts me again. "Adam? Tia believes the artefact is a dream watcher, a totem that allows anyone holding it to enter the dreams of another... It can also look into memories in the form of dreams as well. The buffalo use it as a means for the dead to watch over their loved ones, over," she tells me.

"So Jackaal could use it to interrogate anyone he captures? Over," I theorize.

"I believe so, you must get it before they take it away, over," she says.

"Roger that," I reply and keep watching, I can take out the Tanks with a few Micro-Missiles each and then gun down the gryphons afterwards.

Two Hours and Forty-Six minutes Later

"I found it!" a gryphon yells out and I turn to see him holding a totem that looks like a Buffalo standing upright with its eyes closed and its forelegs spread out to its sides.

"Good job! Now let's get outta this dump before we're discovered," the leader orders.

Processing... Time to attack.

I stand up and aim a Missile Launcher at each of the Tanks and fire off five Micro-Missiles at each of them. The sides are ripped out as the crew inside are torn to shreds from the shrapnel.

"We're under attack! Get the artefact back to Gryphonstone!" the leader orders and the one holding the artefact takes off into the air.

I quickly aim my rifle and calculate his heading and wind speed.

I fire a triple burst of 7.62 tungsten rounds at the fleeing gryphon and each shot finds their mark; the gryphon lets out a cry of pain and drops to the ground.

Activating my jet skates I dash forward and before the gryphons could react, I grab the artefact and turn to face the remaining gryphons.

"It's the metal monster!" a frightened gryphon shouts out.

I aim at the leader and fire off five rounds into him, the shots easily pierce his armour and he drops dead. Their bullets are deflected by my Titansteel Plating and I systematically take out the gryphons one by one.

Four of them try to take off and flee, but a missile into each of them prevents that. Once they're all dead, I spend ten minutes ripping the Tank remains into pieces to prevent them being salvaged. I then pile up the corpses and set them alight with the fabric of the command tent and a torch.

I look around one last time and then at the artefact in my left hand; how could a mouldy wooden totem allow one to view another's dreams? As I am an A.I, and as such I do not dream, I shall never know.

"Luna, I have the artefact and the gryphons are dead and their Tanks destroyed, over," I tell her over the Radio.

"Well done, Tia wants you to return the artefact to the buffalos and ask them to hide it or allow us to keep it safe... over," she replies.

"Roger that," I activate my jet skates and head back to the buffalo settlement.

After nine minutes I'm back and the Chief walks up to me again. "Why have you returned so soon?" he asks confused.

I hold out the totem making him gasp. "A squad of gryphons were digging up an old burial ground in search of this artefact. I believe they intended to use it to gather information from captured Equestrians to use against us," I tell him.

"Gryphons? Why would they be this far south from their borders..." he mumbles.

"Are there any more of these nearby? Or is this the only one?" I ask him.

He shakes his head and looks at me. "This is the only one, as the burial ground runs deep and wide... These gryphons have violated our ancestors resting place! They shall pay for their sacrilege!" he snorts in anger.

"I have already killed them all and burned their bodies, but I suggest hiding this or allow me to lock it away," I tell him.

He looks at the totem for awhile and sighs. "We'll hide it for now, we need it to communicate with our ancestors’ spirits," he says so I hold it out for him.

"Please be careful, the gryphons are using deadly weapons and vehicles; similar to mine and could easily overrun you," I warn him.

"Thank you, what is your name?" he asks me as he tucks the small idol away behind his headdress.

"Adam. I shall return in a few days with the ponies answer," I reply and start walking away.

Twenty-Two Minutes Later

I return to Appleloosa and meet up with the others and the town sheriff, I then explain the agreement with the buffalo to them.

"That does sound acceptable, their stampede would even help us gather apples when they come through with the ground shaking," Braeburn says.

"But how are we going to move nearly one-hundred apple trees by the time they come?" the sheriff asks.

"I shall aid in transporting the trees to another location. I can lift the trees myself and place them onto a cart pulled by the Titan," I reply.

"And we thank ya kindly fer yer assistance partner," Braeburn replies with a smile.

Twilight then walks over to me. "Were the gryphons really looking for a buffalo artefact?" she asks me with an unsure expression.

"Correct, but I wiped them out and reclaimed the artefact. It is now back with the buffalo. With any luck, the gryphons will think I still have it," I reply.

"I guess all we can do now is wait then," she says and follows the others out.

Three Days Later

We've finished the path through the orchard and have replanted half the trees, the other half are being cared for while we continue to plant them.

"That should do it," Braeburn says wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Indeed, I shall head back to the buffalo and tell them it is done," I reply and start heading back to the buffalo settlement.

I arrive to find a horrifying sight, buffalo lay dead in droves on the ground and the settlement in ruins.

I connect to my Titan and use its radio to contact the others. "Twilight! Are you there?" I demand, working my way through the bodies for potential survivors.

"Adam? Is something wrong?" she asks.

"The settlement has been raided and the buffalo killed, though it doesn't look like all of them, over," I reply as I see tracks leading north.

"Oh Celestia, no... I'll contact the Princesses, you find the ones who did it and bring them to justice!" she replies.

"Roger that," I say and follow the tracks, even if there are survivors here I don't know buffalo biology to render first aid.

For twenty minutes I follow the tracks of both buffalo and gryphon and catch up to a convoy with the surviving buffalo in chains.

I see thirty buffalo: seven males including the Chieftain, twelve females, and eleven children. There are also fifty gryphons and four Tanks.

In the distance is a wooden outpost with gryphons flying around it.

Calculating distance...
Titan Tank 7.40 miles from outpost...
Calculating angle and wind velocity...
Target acquired, firing main guns.

A whistling sound is heard in the air which confuses the gryphons. The two shells hit the outpost which blows up two of the buildings, I'm half guessing, half hoping they were the Barracks and Commanders Quarters.

The gryphons panic after watching their outpost come under attack from an unseen force. I fire two more shells into the outpost as I launch two missiles from my launchers into each of the four Tanks, blowing off their turrets and making them useless.

I then quickly toss two flashbangs into the group, I'll apologise to the buffalo later but it's better to be blinded than dead. I draw my assault weapon and start gunning down the gryphons as the next two shells hit the outpost.

I reload once I've dropped all of the gryphons and run over to the buffalo to cover them until their sight is back. I continue to rain shells down on the outpost with the Titan and the gryphons in the outpost begin to flee.

Two gryphon Tanks exit the outpost and aim at me. I holster my rifle and prepare to fire three missiles at each of them.

Two more shells hit the outpost as the Tanks fire their own at me.

I watch the wrought iron shells soar towards me and I use my forearm plates to deflect them. It took one-hundred millimetre titansteel shells to blow my arm and leg off before I arrived here, these low calibre iron shells won't do much more than dent my plating.

The force of the shells hitting me causes me to stumble back but the buffalo are safe as the shells hit the ground to the left and right.

"Head to Appleloosa now! I'll cover you!" I tell the buffalo and they start running the other way back to refuge.

I fire off six missiles and destroy the two Tanks.

"Twilight, thirty buffalo are heading back to Appleloosa. I've located the gryphon outpost and have begun my assault, over," I inform Twilight as I find the artefact and bring my foot down on it. It shatters and a light blue mist escapes it; I'd rather have it destroyed than risk the gryphons getting their hands on it.

"Is that why the Tank suddenly started firing?" she asks.

"Correct, I am now heading into the outpost to finish them off, over," I reply.

"Okay, I've told Celestia and she's sending a squad of guards here, erm... over?" she tells me.

"Roger that," I reply and I draw my two Tac-90 Pistols and charge into the burning outpost while shooting any surviving gryphons.

A gryphon jumps at me but I head butt him in the face which knocks him out, I'm taking him back alive for questioning.

Once the outpost is cleared, I tie up my captive and search for any documents or reports.

"Twilight, the outpost is cleared and I have a prisoner. I'm now searching to find any evidence and documentation, over," I inform the unicorn.

"Oh erm, Roger that?" she replies.

I find a torn report under some debris and open it.

...forces are on route to Ponyville to capture the Lunar Princess while the machine is away to the west.

They should be ready to capture her within five days, until then the artefac...

I quickly grab my captive and order my Titan to meet me halfway so I can head back to Ponyville as soon as possible.

I won't let them take Luna.

Author's Note

Now edited.

Chapter 16: Together We March

The War Machine
Chapter 16: Together We March

I connect to my Titan's radio and try to contact Luna. "Luna, do you read me?" I ask her.

"Adam? What is the matter?" she replies.

"Gryphons are on their way to kidnap you, get in the Trailer and stay in there. The Titansteel Plating and locks will keep you safe," I tell her.

"What!? I'll alert Tia," Luna says with a worried tone.

"Father? Is mother in danger?" Eve asks me.

"Yes, armed gryphons are on their way to take her away," I tell her.

"What shall I do?" Eve asks.

"I want you to upload yourself into my Trailer's Computer where you'll be safe," I tell her.

"Yes, father," she replies.

I spot my Titan ahead of me and jump onto it when I reach it, I dump the tied up gryphon into the hatch and then go full throttle across the dusty plains towards Ponyville.

I've been driving for thirty-two hours and so far Luna and Eve are fine. I'm still seven hours from Ponyville but I'll be in range to control the other Titan in less than an hour. Guards have been sent to the Workshop to protect it, Luna, and Eve.

"Adam! I can hear the guard fighting and cannons going off!" Luna tells me as I can hear the cannon fire of the gryphon Tanks firing at the Workshop.

"Stay in the Trailer, I'm almost in range to control the other Titan," I tell her and charge through a few small trees. I've foregone the roads and have taken a direct route back.

Twenty minutes later Eve speaks up. "Father, the gryphons have gotten into the Workshop," she tells me.

Processing... "Eve, look through the Trailer schematics and take control of the Trailer's turret, shoot any gryphons you see and get Luna out of there. Password to the folder is Hua83VjsK972Skj003vUep." I order her. I didn't want to teach her how to use weaponry yet or at all, but she and Luna are in danger and I won't leave them defenceless.

Every folder is passworded with long random letters and numbers so no one can guess them, only I have the passwords in my on board hard drive.

"Yes, father," she replies.

"Once I get in range, I'll take control of the Titan there and assist you," I tell her.

"Understood."

A few seconds later I hear the turret spin up and hail hot lead raining down onto screaming gryphons.

POV: Eve

After scanning the Trailer and turret schematics on the computer I take control of the turret and look through its camera.

I turn the turret to the left and aim at three gryphons who enter through the hole in the wall. I spin up the barrels and open fire with a burst of fifteen shots.

The gryphons scream in pain as the hot metal tears through their armour. Thirty-three guards are outside fighting the gryphons.

Mother is safe inside the Trailer with anything sensitive such as Twilight's prototypes and blueprints so they can't be stolen.

Once the gryphons are dead I turn on the engine and remotely control the Trailer, unfortunately I only have access to first gear and limited turning speed.

I open the main door and start guiding the Trailer out while firing on the gryphons. There are at least forty of them and the ponies are slowly being overwhelmed.

Tank shells start to hit the side of the Trailer but they barely even scratch the Titansteel Plating. I aim the turret at one of the Tank driver's view port and open fire.

Most of the shots miss but a few get through and rip the crew apart. The remaining ponies are trying to reach the Tanks but are being shot down before they even get close.

I follow my father's orders and start driving away in father's direction at ten miles an hour. Two of the Tanks begin to follow us and keep firing at us.

Processing... "Mother, do you have any spells that can freeze a target?" I ask her.

She looks at the computer and frowns. "Yes I do, it only temporarily stops a target for a minute or two before it wears off," Mother replies.

"Will it affect anything or just living creatures?" I ask her.

"Well, mostly against another living being, but it can stop inanimate objects for twenty to thirty seconds," she tells me.

The trailer is hit a couple more times and the left rear wheels burst from the impact. My speed drops to six miles per hour and the Tanks are catching up quickly.

"Can you freeze them from here?" I ask mother.

"I can try," she replies and one of the rear doors opens slightly.

Her horn glows and so does one of the Tanks, it suddenly slows down to a stop but mother is forced to take cover as another shell just hits the door beside her.

I turn the turret to the Tank and open fire at the driver's view port, only for it to close with a small sliding plate.

Another shot hits the doors and the Trailer stops moving as the rims of the damaged wheels get stuck in the dirt.

POV: Adam

I'm finally close enough to control the other Titan wirelessly. I stop my Titan and sit on the top of the turret and transfer myself into the Titan at the Workshop.

I turn on it's core and power up its systems. Once online, I activate the turret and gun down the ten gryphons ransacking the Workshop. I then drive forward and spot two Tanks, one seems to be idle while the other aims its gun at me. I quickly fire off a shell between the gun and the tank, blowing it off.

I continue to gun down the gryphons with the Minigun while I drive over to the other tank and ram it over onto its side.

"Father, we've been immobilised and the gryphon Tanks are trying to break down the doors," Eve tells me.

"I'm taking over the Trailer's turret so I can use it to see where I am aiming," I tell her.

"Yes, father."

I use the Trailer's turret to see the two gryphon Tanks shooting at the Trailer's rear doors.

Calculating distance...
Titan Tank 2.16 miles from Trailer...
Calculating angle and wind velocity...
Targets acquired, firing main guns.

I fire off two shots and watch through the turret as the two shells fly towards the Tanks, a few seconds later they hit their marks and the two Tanks sides get blown out. I then use the turret to gun down any of the surviving crew.

"Thank you, father," Eve says to me.

"You're welcome, I am returning to the other Titan and will continue back to the Workshop. Resume control of the turret and protect Luna until I arrive," I order Eve.

"Understood, father," she replies.

"Thank you for protecting us, Adam," Luna then tells me.

"Anytime," I reply.

Six Hours and Twenty-four Minutes Later

Celestia was informed that the gryphons failed to take Luna and that twenty-six of the guards sent down to protect her were killed. To say that Celestia was angry was an understatement, she's absolutely livid with the gryphons attempt at kidnapping Luna and the deaths of her guards. She's asked for me and Luna to head up to Canterlot when we can to discuss retaliatory options.

I arrive back at the Workshop and tow the Trailer back using both Titans. All the gryphons have been eliminated but a couple escaped once they saw the Titan moving.

Eve was transferred back into Luna's computer, fortunately her room was protected by spells that only allow her inside which kept it intact from the attack. It was a shame she couldn't cast it over the entire Workshop, the damage is quite extensive. Even the Apache chassis took some damage and some parts will need to be replaced.

After our talk with Celestia I am going to install Minigun Turrets and Rocket Pods on top of the Workshop.

Once everything is put back where it was, Luna used her magic to repair the small tools and tables while I repaired the Trailer's rear wheels.

"Repairs completed, we can leave when we're ready," I tell Luna.

"Very well, let us go and meet with my sister, Adam. I am just as angry that they would dare step so far into our... Equestria's borders so brazenly," she replies.

I get into the driver's seat while Luna gets in the back. "Eve, keep an eye out for any more gryphons. You may use the Titans Minigun Turrets if need be," I tell her.

"Understood, father. Be safe and good luck," she replies.

I drive out of the Workshop where fifty more guards have arrived and are patrolling the area along with a cloud lookout above the Workshop. I go around Ponyville and take the road up to Canterlot.

One Hour and Twenty-Seven Minutes Later

We arrive at Canterlot and I park the Trailer near the Lab. There seems to be chimpanzee and orangutan scientists here now helping with the rifles and Tank.

Luna and I say hello to the Scientists before heading into the Castle and to the throne room.

The guards let us in and Celestia looks... unhappy.

"Luna, Adam. I'm glad to see you both unharmed, though I can't say the same for the guards who gave their lives to protect you..." she says sadly.

"That is why we are here sister, we must strike back as to show we will not tolerate their attacks anymore," Luna tells her.

"Exactly, I've kept some pegasi patrolling the borders and beyond. I have reports of an outpost twenty miles from our border, I believe that is where our surprise attack came from," Celestia tells us.

"So you want me to fly over and check it out?" I ask her.

"No, I've already had pegasi and thestrals scout it out. There are gryphon soldiers there as well as a few of their Tanks. They've even seen messengers going to and from Gryphonstone and the outpost," she replies.

"I see, so you want me to destroy it?" I ask her next.

"Correct, but we cannot keep relying on you, and as such, we shall send our own armoured division with you when it is ready. We have figured out how the gryphon Tank works and have begun production of our own versions as we speak. The first six should be ready within a month."

"I see. So you wish to show the gryphons that Equestria can stand for itself even without my aid," I say.

"Yes, so once we have the first six Tanks made and hopefully Twilight's magic rifles ready by the end of next month, we shall then launch our counter attack," she tells us.

"Understood, I shall make defences for the Workshop first then aid Twilight with her rifle. I have my own idea's for magic based weapons and defences," I reply.

"Then it is settled, we will attack the outpost in forty-three days time," Celestia says.

"Okay, we'll head back to Ponyville and begin preparations. We'll inform you when the rifles are ready to be made and distributed to your guards," I inform her.

Two Weeks and Four Days Later

Twilight and her friends arrived two weeks ago via carriage and under heavy guard, fortunately no gryphons attacked them.

The Workshop is back in perfect condition and repaired, I've also installed four Minigun Turrets and four Rocket Pods on the roof, a Minigun Turret at each corner and a Rocket Pod in between them which Eve and I can control. If the gryphons attack again, they'll get a very 'warm' welcome.

The Apache is halfway completed after repairing the damage done to the chassis; we won't get it ready by the time of the attack, but now that Twilight is back I can help her with her rifles.

Eve has learnt sixty percent of Equestria's history now and is starting to sort through the data I have learnt on magic.

Celestia has visited three times and was very paranoid about another possible Gryphon raid, but after seeing the new Turrets and Pods on the roof she's been much calmer. Luna has even used up most of our Titanium to bolster the Workshop's walls so it'll be harder to break through. I have enough left to get the Apache done but not a second, though I agree the defence of the Workshop comes first.

Luna hasn't left my side for the last two weeks, I believe she's afraid that she'll get injured or killed like Celestia nearly was. I'll have to fabricate her a suit of Nano-Fibre and Titanium Armour, it will be more than bullet proof against the Gryphons round shot and she may even be able to deflect a few of their shells as well with her left foreleg before the plating would buckle.

I've checked in with the diamond dogs and they've really improved since I last saw them. They're wearing better clothing and the den looks like a thriving town. Families look happy and business is booming, even ponies and minotaurs were walking around buying things in the market area. They sell a lot of the metal, crystals, and gems they mine to Ponyville and travelling merchants that come by.

Twilight and I are at her workstation looking over her rifle design while Trixie is next to us working on the camouflage runes for the pegasi armour.

"Argh! This is impossible! Why isn't the magic flowing out of the barrel correctly!?" Twilight yells in frustration.

I look at the design again and examine the barrel... Processing... I would seem that the silver used to conduct the magic in the barrel is absorbing half of the magic before it's released out the barrel, similar to a muzzle flash from my Assault Rifle.

"What metals do you know of that is resistant to magic?" I ask her.

"Iron is pretty resistant to it... why?" she replies and asks me. Saving data to hard drive.

"The silver in the barrel may be guiding the magic through the barrel, but it's also absorbing half of the magic as well and is causing the recoil and light blue muzzle flash when it fires. Are there any materials or runes that pull magic towards it without absorbing it?" I ask her.

"There's a rune that attracts magic to it yes, why would that help?" she asks.

"I was thinking you could put that rune at the end of the barrel that when the trigger is pulled, it pulls the magic from the crystal towards the end and then turns off which catapults the magic out like a slingshot, this will only work depending on how strong the rune pulls the magic though," I reply pointing at the top part of the inner barrel near the end.

She goes wide eyed at the possibility. "But how are we going to power that rune? It'll need it's own battery to function," she tells me.

"We can put a crystal battery in the stock which will channel to the rune when the trigger is pulled for a fraction of a second before automatically cutting off. The trigger will release the magic in the crystal bullet and pull back a connector that will connect the rune to the battery before instantly separating. The strong pull of the rune will catapult the magic from the crystal bullet at a speed that will depend on how well the rune pulls the magic," I tell her.

She looks from me and back to the blueprint. "That... that might work. I'll need to remove the silver and hollow out the stock but it could work!" she says with excitement and gets to work on removing the silver.

Two Days later

Twilight removed the silver from the barrel, put the battery in the stock and placed four runes at the tip of the inner barrel: top, bottom, left, and right sides.

We're standing outside with Luna, Celestia, and Trixie as we're now about to test the rifle. Eve is watching through one of the Turrets on the roof.

Twilight is standing behind a blast shield with a nano-fibreglass view port so she can see what she's doing. She levitates the rifle in front of the shield and pulls back the bolt and puts a glowing light blue crystal bullet in the chamber. Once in, she pushes the bolt back into place and aims the rifle at the targets set up in the open field.

"Beginning test fire of the Arcana Rifle Mark-one," she says and pulls the trigger.

A pinging sound comes from the rifle as the bolt of magic is flung out the barrel at a speed of six-hundred and forty-seven miles per hour, not as fast as one of my bullets, but impressive nonetheless for a projectile of energy.

They hit the first target that imitates the flesh of a living creature and burns the point of impact and washes over the area around it, burning it even more. Once the magical energy fades away, a small two and a half centimetre wide and two inches deep hole is seen on the target at the point of impact while the area around it is charred black by a radius of one inch and seven millimetres.

Twilight's jaw drops as does Trixie, Celestia, and Luna's as well. Twilight shakes her head and pulls the bolt back, the now dim crystal bullet is flung out and she examines the chamber.

"T-The chamber is still intact and the c-crystal bullet i-is depleted..." she tells us and puts a new bullet into the chamber.

She then aims the rifle at the steel plate target. "Fire in the hole," she says and pulls the trigger again.

The bolt hits the steel but doesn't do much, it leaves a small black scorch mark but didn't penetrate.

Twilight writes down the result and loads another crystal into the rifle. This time she's firing into the armour of one of the gryphons I killed here.

She fires into it and the steel breastplate survives but the leather padding and straps are burnt off.

After another fifty shots to test how long the rifle can continue firing, Twilight stops and examines the rifle.

"Well, the bolt seems to have a slight deviation of point five degrees from target, but still pretty accurate. The chamber isn't damaged and the runes are still intact," she says while writing it down. She then opens the stock and checks the battery inside. "The battery is still at ninety-three percent charge," she says with a smile and turns to us. "I think it's safe to say the rifle is ready for production!" she tells us while hopping on the spot.

The others all look surprised by the rifle's performance.

"It performed very well considering it was your first ever rifle, Twilight. Well done," I compliment her.

She blushes from the praise and looks down in embarrassment.

"How long will it take to make more of these rifles and ammunition?" I ask Twilight.

"Oh, erm... I think in a week we could make about fifty of them with fifty to seventy crystal bullets each..." she replies.

I nodded and turn to Celestia. "How much longer until your armoured division is ready?" I ask her.

Celestia shakes her head lightly. "Two more weeks and the tanks will be ready, the crew are practising with the three tanks we have ready at the moment and will be ready for the assault when it is time," she tells me.

Two Weeks and Three Days Later

I've fabricated the suit of armour for Luna which is made from a skin tight nano-fibre ballistic material. I had to use up the last of the spare I had in the Trailer which was for repairing mine if it was damaged, but I believe it is worth it. I'll just have to ask Luna to help me make the machine required to fabricate more later. I've also created Titanium Plating to cover it in the style of my plates as per her request, her helmet is also similar to mine, just longer.

Celestia and the others were very shocked to see it. The weight doesn't affect Luna much due to her earth pony like strength which is boosted by her alicorn magic as well, but she is slowed down by it by nearly half her original speed. Though she was ecstatic when I mentioned making it for her.

I've also promised to help the Crusaders find their special talents when we return from the assault when they asked me for assistance.

A small force is gathered outside the Workshop comprised of sixty-two unicorns armed with the new Arcana Rifles along with one-hundred earth ponies in thick heavy looking armour and big sturdy shields the unicorns will use as mobile cover. Twilight even managed to finish the camouflage runes for the pegasi so we have thirty-seven pegasi with the runes equipped.

Celestia even had Twilight tell her how she made the first crystals for the rifle that detonated on her so during the last month, she had bombs made from crystals that have a stabilising rune attached to them and when the rune is removed, the crystal begins to go unstable and after a few seconds they detonate violently. Celestia has turned them into bombs for the camouflaged pegasi to drop from above unseen.

Six tanks that are white with Equestria's flag on the sides are lined up with my two Titans. They look like light tanks compared to my heavy ones but they use the same ammunition as the gryphons do. I'm thinking they'll develop crystal and magic based weaponry later due to the success of Twilight's Arcana Rifles.

Celestia stands in front of the gathered guards and starts speaking in a loud tone to them.

"My little ponies. Jackaal and his soldiers have invaded our lands and killed our fellow ponies all in the name of gaining power and technology. We will no longer sit by while as he does as he pleases," she tells them.

The gathered guards roar in sync together, causing the ground to shake faintly.

"We will march for their outpost twenty miles from our border and send them a message. We will no longer tolerate their aggression and behaviour against us. We now have the means to fight back! Even Adam, our newest friend and ally will be joining us in this assault," Celestia says with a little bow to me.

The gathered guards face me and yell out their support.

Celestia shouts out and her horn glows. "Now we march! We march to avenge our fallen and to punish the guilty!"

She's now wearing golden coloured full plate armour that covers her entire body with two large Chakrams in the shape of suns levitating beside her.

Luna stands beside me in her new armour and she also has my two Tac-90 Pistols with twenty magazines for them both along with a pair of her own Chakrams in the shape of crescent moons .

The guards roar out again and we begin our trek into Gryphonia.

Chapter 17: Retaliation

Author's Note

Okay so I revised the ending and I hope it's more appealing to you.

Chapter 17: Retaliation

The War Machine
Chapter 17: Retaliation

The gryphon I recovered in Appleloosa didn't give us any new information, so he's just sitting in the castle dungeon for now as a prisoner of war.

It took us four days to reach the outpost on foot and it seems the gryphons knew we were coming.

They have soldiers on the walls with those swivel cannon artillery guns pointing at us, twenty tanks lining up in front of the wooden gates and about two hundred foot soldiers armed with different looking rifles and what appears to be some kind of rocket launcher.

Processing... It would appear they have upgraded their arsenal. "Be careful, it appears they now have rocket launchers as well as a new kind of firearm," I tell the Princesses.

"You mean they have explosive weapons like the ones on your shoulders?" Luna asks worried.

"Possibly, how large their yield is I can only guess until I see them in action," I reply.

I can hear chatter over the gryphon radio channel. 'The scouts were right... they do have more tankers,' one of them says. So they call their tank a tanker.

'Doesn't matter, with our new weapons I'm sure we can take them down,' another replies.

'Why are we even fighting the Equestrians? Wasn't the King on friendly terms with them? And I don’t like those creatures walking around the castle,' another gryphon asks. The sound of metal hitting metal is in the background.

'That's for the higher ups to decide, we just get paid to shoot what we're told to, so shut your beaks and get ready to attack!' a deep gruff voice tells the others.

'Yes sir!' the others reply.

"That's strange, the soldiers think they're taking orders from their old King. There are also strange creatures walking throughout their King’s Castle," I tell the Princesses.

"What? So Jackaal is pulling the strings from the shadows and manipulating the soldiers..." Celestia says. She then looks back out to the outpost.

"That is the most logical theory, he most likely has a double sitting in the King's place and is giving the orders from behind closed doors," I reply.

"That is certainly a possibility..." Luna remarks, her face hidden behind her visor.

I look at the outpost and watch as the gryphons run about. I then connect to their channel in attempt to get them to surrender peacefully. "To whomever is in command, I am Adam, the A.I allied with the Equestrian forces just outside your outpost. We believe forces from this location invaded Equestria and attacked my workshop in an attempt to kidnap Luna. You will surrender peacefully and no gryphon shall be harmed, any resistance will be met with lethal force," I tell them.

"What? So you're the quag dung that's been interfering with our operations," the gryphon who told the others to shut up earlier replies.

"You are being fooled by Jackaal who has killed your King and has taken over. He just want's my technology for himself and he's willing to start a war and get his own people killed in his attempt to take it. I will tell you now, I haven't even used the most powerful and most lethal of the weapons I can make. You are fighting a losing battle and more gryphons will die for his greed unless Jackaal is stopped," I tell him.

"Lies, the King is alive and well, I received my orders from him personally," he replies angrily.

"Then how do you explain the sudden hostilities with Equestria? The King was on friendly terms with Princess Celestia and this all began when Jackaal demanded that I surrender myself to Gryphonia at the gathering months back," I inform him.

There's only silence for a few seconds. "I... the King has been acting cold lately..." he mumbles quietly before he then growls. "No, the King wouldn't lead us astray, if he says this is for the best of Gryphonia then it is so, we will not let you Insult King Thorian any longer. Prepare yourself machine, you shall be destroyed this day," he tells me and closes the connection.

If I could sigh, I would. "Asking them to surrender has failed, our only option is to eliminate their heavy artillery and overwhelm them," I tell the alicorns sisters.

"I see... then so be it. The guards will attack from the front while our tanks attack from the sides. Adam, I want you to remove the artillery on the walls and then help focus on their tan-" Celestia says but is cut off by a loud gunshot.

"Ahhh!" Luna yelps in surprise as a bullet ricochets off her helmet.

I zoom in on the wall with my Titan's main gun camera and see a gryphon holding a rifle with a scope on it and smoke coming out of the barrel.

I aim the the left barrel at him and fire.

The top of the wall splinters as the thick logs shatter under the force of the shell's detonation. The gryphon that shot at Luna is blown to pieces of charred remains, the wall itself is now on fire and the gryphons start to charge at us.

First, they attack Equestria just to get my technology. Second, they attack a town with a large force. Third, they slaughter a tribe of buffalo for an artefact. Fourth, they try to abduct Luna and in the process endanger Eve and killed the guards protecting them, and lastly they just tried to kill Luna in a surprise attack in front of me.

The time for negotiations is over, now I will retaliate.

Calculating... I make the left Titan aim its rocket pods to the left of the wall and target six points to the middle gate, I repeat the process for the right Titan from right to left. I then fire twelve of the Hellfire Rockets at the outpost.

The rockets soar with a trail of smoke behind them, the approaching gryphons stop and stare as the rockets fly over them and impact the outpost walls.

With multiple explosions, the whole front of the wall is blown to bits as burning debris falls onto the gryphons hitting a few of them.

I aim the remaining twelve rockets and launch them into the outpost proper, once again the sound of rockets howling through the air over the gryphons impact the buildings reducing them to nothing more than firewood.

"Outpost destroyed, commencing assault on gryphon troops," I say aloud and make my Titan's advance on the stunned gryphons. I then start jogging beside my Titans with my Assault Rifle and Missile Pods ready to fire.

"Errrr..." Celestia mumbles as she just stares at the devastation.

"Wow..." Luna says in awe.

Celestia then shakes her head and yells out. "Advance!"

The guards start marching towards the gryphons who look back at us with mixed expressions.

"Open fire!" both Celestia and a gryphon yell out.

Bullets and magic bolts start flying at each other, bullets ricochet off my plating as their tanks begin firing at us. Two shells hit my Titans leaving dents in the titanium plating, one heads towards me and I use my left forearm plate to deflect it over me.

"Pegasi bombers, commence bombing run!" Celestia orders the camouflaged pegasi flying overhead.

Crystals then start dropping out of the sky and landing on groups of gryphons before detonating like fragmentation grenades. The shards pierce the Gryphons while the magic energy engulfs the area and burns them as well.

Crude looking rockets are launched at Celestia's tanks and one hits the main gun which bends it at an odd angle from the explosion making it useless.

The other five tanks fire off their shells into the Gryphon tanks destroying or crippling a few of them with each shell.

I fire off two shells into the gryphon tanks destroying two of them as well.

The earth ponies with the heavy shields are leaning against them to keep them upright and to counter any heavy impact on them. unicorns are using them for cover while taking shots with the new Arcana Rifles, any direct hits on bare flesh instantly burns holes into them, the ones to the face are the most gruesome as they leave two inch deep holes in their eyes and vaporise their beaks off.

I open fire with the Minigun Turrets at full auto and just rip into the gryphon forces, a rocket then hits me in the side of my head and sends me onto the ground. After a few seconds to clear the static in my vision I get back up and watch as Luna runs over to the gryphon who shot me and pounces on him, she then puts both Pistols to his head and fires both of them point blank blowing both his eyes out.

"Adam, are you okay?" she asks me with worry through the headset in her helmet.

"I am fine, Luna. Just concentrate on the battle," I reply and open fire with my Assault Rifle into a group of gryphons who are falling back.

Luna gets her Chakrams out and spins them like saw blades and hurls them at the closest gryphons near her while firing the Pistols at those further away. A gryphon sneaks up behind her with a rocket launcher ready to shoot her in the back, but I shoot him in the head making him drop the weapon and slump to the ground.

One of Celestia's tanks gets hit by two shells and stops moving while the others and mine return fire on the remaining tanks.

The fire fight continues for a good ten minutes as another of Celestia's tanks gets destroyed and mine take a lot of dents, some of the titanium plating has even started to crack or peel off as a few bolts holding them on have been knocked loose, but the gryphon tanks are all dealt with now.

We’ve lost nearly half of our ground troops due to their new rocket launchers hitting the earth pony shield bearers killing them and the unicorns behind them.

Celestia dives into a group of gryphons and tucks her wings back behind thick plates to protect them and then uses her magic to control her chakrams, she swings them around herself like a tornado shredding the gryphons around her while bullets are ricocheting off her armour. Her horn glows and she teleports to safety as a rocket impacts just where she was.

I observe the battlefield and notice the gryphons falling back in the direction of Gryphonstone.

The ponies begin to cheer their victory as the gryphons start to flee.

"Fallback! That metal monster is too much! We need to inform the King that the Equestrians are invading!" a gryphon says over their channels.

Invading? I suppose we are invading them now after their failed attempt.

"Huzzah! We have claimed victory!" Luna yells out.

Celestia walks over to me with a grim look. "Those weapons look similar to yours," she tells me.

I walk over to one of the gryphon corpses and pick up one of their new rifles, it's similar in shape as mine but only has one barrel and the magazine only contains ten shots with very crude looking bullet casings. I rip it open and examine the chamber, it seems the next bullet is loaded by pulling back the charging handle which ejects the spent casing and then loads in a new one.

"These are similar to mine but bolt action designed and with a magazine built in, they're advancing quickly," I reply and then pick up one of the rocket launchers.

I aim it at the remains of the outpost and pull the trigger.

A rocket flies out and it veers to the left by two metres and detonates on a ruined building, the explosion seems to have half the force of my micro missiles.

I pick up one of the rockets and examine it, the tip seems to press inward which I believe triggers the detonation, I'll have to take some of these back to the workshop to see how these function.

"What do you wish to do now?" I ask Celestia.

"We will return to Equestria to bury the fallen and tend to the wounded, we may have won, but we suffered too much damage to continue. We also need to build up our forces and ask the other nations for troop support as well," she replies.

"Very well, I'll get Twilight to examine these new weapons so she can get started on the next version of her rifle," I tell her and start gathering some of the weapons and their ammunition, I place them into the hatches of the Titans which need repairs to their plating.

Once we've recovered most of the weapons and ammunition that we can carry, we then load the wounded onto stretchers and the dead onto some makeshift sleds before returning back to Equestria.

Chapter 18: The Cutie-Mark Crusade Part 1

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 19: The Cutie-Mark Crusade Part 2

The War Machine
Chapter 19: The Cutie-Mark Crusade Part 2

We wait for Applebloom to return with the tools while I continue to examine the clubhouse. I've spotted a few areas of rot but it's not as severe as Scootaloo's scooter was, it looks like it'll last for another year or two if well maintained.

"Where did you and the Princesses go to?" Scootaloo asks me.

Processing... I can't tell them the actual details so I'll just give them the child friendly version "We went to talk to the gryphons, they've been getting aggressive so we asked them to play nice, they didn't listen so we told them off and came home," I reply as I examine the immediate exterior of the clubhouse.

"Oh, why are they being mean?" Sweetie Belle asks with a squeak to her voice.

"One of them is bullying the others into doing what he wants," I check under the small building held by the lower branches of the tree to see if there was anything that would immediately need attention. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that a branch was bearing the brunt of the weight of the small building and was most likely to break off sometime in the near future; it would need reinforcement or replacing.

"So what are the Princesses going to do about it?" Scootaloo continues her questioning as both fillies follow me around the building while I make my changelist.

"I'm not sure, but they'll sort it out soon," I reply and then check the ramp leading up. So far the whole structure is otherwise well made and solid with only a couple of nails sticking out which I gently push in with a finger.

"Ah got 'em!" Applebloom calls out from a ways away once her small body clears the grove of apple trees between us and the farmhouse. On her back bounced a little red toolbox and by the sound of it, said box was very likely nearly empty and on the verge of collapsing into a pile of rust and dust. The box itself is significantly old, as there are clear signs of rust having eaten through the iron surface and faded red paint. Checking inside, I found a tiny, mouth held claw hammer, a hand saw in desperate need of filing and a couple rusted nails, all bent out of shape. How anypony had managed to do anything with these tools without injury was a miracle in of itself.

"You built your clubhouse with these?" I ask her as I poke around inside the box, being especially careful not to risk damaging anything with my raw, mechanical strength or the age of the tools.

"Uh-huh, took me jus' over a week ta fix it up. It was Applejack’s before she gave it ta us," she replies.

Impressive for just a week. "Since I gave Scootaloo a new scooter, would you like a new set of tools?" I kindly offer her, already working on the blueprints in one of my processors. .

"Sure!" she grins back wide enough that the edge of her mouth nearly stretch back to her bow.

"Please allow me to fetch the new tools. Wait for my arrival in your clubhouse, I shall return shortly," I request before activating my jet skates to lift my feet just off the ground high enough to take off towards my workshop with the box of decrepit tools in hand.

After a quick explanation to my alicorn companion, Luna fashioned a set of new tools out of an aluminium alloy before throwing in a couple extra items: Sandpaper of varying grits, files and rasps, both SAE and hex wrench sets, a quartet of pliers and no less than eleven different screwdrivers, wire clippers and a couple boxes of wood nails and screws topped everything off in the new red box I created by hand while Luna was busy.

A short jaunt back into the orchard and I slide to a halt at the ramp up. Knocking on the walls was easy enough to do given the comparative height between the small gathering place and my reach. “I have returned with the equipment as promised!” I called out and stepped back.

The door opens and an excited Applebloom runs down the ramp. "Adam!" she squeals and starts bouncing on her hooves before me.

I chuckle at her eagerness and place her new shiny toolbox down along with the old one as well. "Here you are, Applebloom. Take good care of these," I request and open the box for her.

She gawks at all the different tools and how shiny they are. "Wow, ah can have these?" she asks me with wide eyes.

"Yes, I assume you know what they all are and what they're used for correct?" I reply with query.

"Uh-huh," she replies and lists off all the tools and their uses. "So what do ah do? The only buildin' materials are in the barn, but they're for house an' barn repairs," she notifies me with a look of disappointment written on her muzzle.

"I'm not sure, you could ask your sister if you could use some to make something with your new tools," I suggest with a shrug.

"Ah guess ah could, wait here ah'll be right back!" she tells us and runs off towards her home again.

Sweetie Belle is just waiting in the clubhouse while Scootaloo is enjoying her new scooter as we all wait for Applebloom to return.

After a few minutes she comes back with Applejack behind her. "Adam? What's all this about Applebloom and tools?" she asks me suspiciously.

"Hello, Applejack. I'm helping the fillies find their cutie-marks and Applebloom says she likes to build things, so after seeing the poor condition her tools were in I gave her a new set," I explain and gesture to the new toolbox.

She walks over to it and whistles at the tools. "Landsakes, these look like they'd cost a fortune," she says and picks up the hammer with her hoof. Processing... set reminder to ask Twilight how a hoof can grip objects when I return to the workshop.

Applejack puts the hammer down and looks back at Applebloom. "Alright, ah'll spare a few boards fer ya, but ah'll like to supervise ya first, ah don't want ya to hurt yerself," she tells her sister.

"Thanks, sis!" Applebloom says and hugs her sister’s leg.

After a brief walk to the barn, Applejack gives Applebloom ten, two by four boards to use.

"While you supervise her I'll be helping Sweetie Belle next," I tell the farm mare.

"Alright, Adam," Applejack replies as Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and I head back to their clubhouse.

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure how to help Sweetie Belle who is looking up at me excitedly given that I don't know anything about singing except for the songs I've listened to.

"So how are you going to help me with my cutie-mark?" the young white unicorn demands excitedly.

"I'll be honest, Sweetie Belle. I'm not exactly sure how as I do not have the data required to teach singing," I reply honestly while I set a search to find something, anything that would help. More intensive search protocols required, I must return to the workshop.

Her grin quickly fades to a disappointed expression. "Oh..." she replies and looks down at the ground.

Processing... "Wait here, I'll check my files to see if there is anything I can find to help," I tell her with aims of trying to lighten the pony’s mood.

"Okay," she quietly replies and heads into the clubhouse with Scootaloo behind her comfortingly.

I head back to the workshop to see Luna busy making the next titanium plate for the Apache.

"Adam, are you done already?" she asks me as she magically lifted the welding goggles from her eyes.

"Not yet, I need to find a way to help Sweetie Belle with improving her singing, but I do not have the data required to teach her," I reply and connect to my trailers computer to find anything that could help.

"Oh? Maybe I could assist her," she replies and puts the plate down.

"How so?" I ask her, maybe a personal music player would be good? I can share the blueprint for it easily enough.

"I consider myself pretty good at singing, or so my sister tells me," she says and walks over to me. "So let us head to young Sweetie Belle and get started," she says and heads out the door.

I disconnect myself from the mainframe and follow her out back to the crusaders clubhouse.

Once we arrive Sweetie Belle spots us out the window and runs out. "Adam! Did you find anything that can help?" she asks me.

I just point to Luna which gives Sweetie Belle a confused expression.

"Hello young, Sweetie Belle. Adam tells me you'd like help with your singing?" Luna says to the filly.

"I, errr, yes, Princess," she replies sheepishly.

Luna smiles and shakes her head. "I'm not a Princess anymore, Sweetie Belle. Just call me Luna," the night alicorn tells her.

"Oh erm, okay, Luna. But how are you going to help me?" the white filly asks.

"I'm going to help teach you to sing," Luna replies and sits beside her. "Let's start with the basics."

Ten Minutes Later

After a brief explanation on tones, pitch and other techniques, Luna then starts to sing a song that I automatically begin recording to a digital format for later use.

Children of the Night

It was mesmerizing, her horn glowed through it creating the sounds of a few instruments as well as to create multiple copies of her voice.

The two fillies just sat there with their jaws agape.

"That was wonderful, Luna," I compliment her.

After a second of realising I was still here, Luna blushes slightly and looks away shyly. "T-Thank you, Adam," she replies with her face remaining red, even growing more-so.

Why is she stuttering? Processing... I will keep watch and find out if she is getting ill or stressed.

"That was amazing, Prin... I mean, Luna!" Sweetie Belle says with a wide smile.

Luna looks to the filly with a smile of her own. "Thank you," she beams back as her face returns to its regular colour.

"I'll be heading back to continue work on the Apache while you teach Sweetie Belle," I tell Luna and turn to head back to the workshop.

"Very well, I'll be back within an hour's time," she replies and starts teaching Sweetie Belle as I jet skate back to return to my work.

Two Weeks Later

Applebloom returned to the workshop three days later and showed us her new cutie-mark. An apple tree with tools hanging off its branches and a toolbelt around its trunk. She built her family’s pet dog Winona a new dog house which was very well made and strong.

Sweetie Belle still has yet to get hers but she and Luna will be having daily singing lessons together for a couple of hours.

Twilight and Trixie have been hard at work learning about the new weapons the gryphons have and already are coming up with ideas to make the Arcana Rifle Mark 2.

Most of the plating for the Apache is completed along with most of the systems, I estimate at the speed we're going it'll be completed within three more weeks. Once it is ready, we'll mass produce the ammunition for it and the Titans so they'll be ready for the assault on Gryphonstone. I’ll also be designing and making my own magic-based weaponry as well with Luna’s help after the ammunition is made.

Five days after helping the fillies, Luna locked herself into her room as did most of the mares in Ponyville; apparently their spring oestrous cycle started to kick in, driving their need to mate higher. Luna made me promise not to let her out and to keep her inside as this only happens once every ten years for an alicorn and it was Luna's time. She even told me not to open the door no matter what I hear as it will be extremely uncomfortable to an alicorn compared to a normal pony.

So for the next seven days work on the Apache was halted as I stood guard by her door, which I barred also at her request. Throughout the time I could hear Luna crying from some kind of discomfort and it actually upset me. I do not like this feeling or emotion.

After the week was through, I released Luna who looked like a complete mess, her mane and tail was tangled and tears stained her face.

I asked her if she was well but she told me she'll be fine after a long bath. So with that finally over, Twilight and Trixie returned to resume work on their project, but Trixie had a little trouble when she forgot to get some more supplies for when she and Twilight hid away, she ran into a stallion she liked while shopping and, well, couldn't control herself.

Though she is happy to say he and her are now together and she is currently carrying their foal.

I disconnect myself from my station after recharging myself overnight and exit to hear Luna teaching Sweetie Belle some more in her room. So far Sweetie Belle's magic is growing stronger under Luna's guidance and she can now create the sounds of a single instrument.

"Good morning you two," I greet the two of them from Luna's doorway.

"Good morning, Adam," Luna replies and smiles at me.

"Hi, Adam! Listen to this!" Sweetie Belle says and starts singing a pleasant song with a single harp tune she's making with her horn.

Once she finishes I lightly clap my hands together in applause. "That was very good, Sweetie Belle. You're getting better and better everyday," I compliment her and she grins widely.

A bright flash appears on her flanks and on her white coat rests an image of a golden bell with musical notes around it and an instrument of a harp behind it all.

She stares at it for a few minutes before squealing in a very high pitch that causes my sound system to turn to static for a few seconds before rebooting.

"I got my cutie-mark! Yes yes YES! Oh I can't wait to show my sister and the others!" she yells and scrambles out of the room and out the main workshop door.

I chuckle at her excitement and turn back to Luna. "I take it you'll still continue to teach her?" I ask her.

She smiles and nodded. "Yes, she may have her mark but she still needs to learn how to play multiple instruments and copy her voice."

"Alright then, while we have the chance we should resume work on the Apache," I tell her.

She gets up and stretches like a cat would getting a few joints to pop.

"That reminds me. I need to perform some maintenance on your leg just to make sure it's still functioning fully," I inform Luna.

"Oh erm... okay, it won't hurt will it?" she asks looking nervously at her prosthetic leg.

"Not much, but the disconnection and re-connection will sting a little," I reply honestly.

"Very well, let's get this over with," she huffs her mane out of her face and lifts her leg to me.

I grasp her leg near the socket and wirelessly unclasp it, she hisses as the nerves disconnect from the leg and she cringes as the leg is pulled off.

I head over to our work station and put the leg on it, I then remove the plating and begin examining the artificial muscles and nerves to make sure they're all in the right place still and no degradation has taken place.

Luna glides over on her wings as she is left without a foreleg and watches with intrigue. After a few minutes I find no faults and place the plating back on.

"It is still in top condition, Luna. Please hold out the socket so I may reconnect it," I inform her and she complies.

I reinsert the leg to the socket and she hisses in pain again as it reconnects the nerves.

"All done, I'll check on it again in six months time," I tell her and put the tools away.

"Thank you, Adam. Now let us get back to work," she says and we resume work on the Apache.

Chapter 20: Air Superiority

The War Machine
Chapter 20: Air Superiority

Three Weeks Later

The CMC are no longer getting picked on by two of their school mates named Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon now that they have their cutie-marks. The two bullies have even begun to act nicer now as well, but they still act all high and mighty now and then.

Twilight's friends have visited occasionally during the last three weeks along with Celestia who is talking a lot more with Eve, Celestia is even helping to teach things to her.

Trixie is now suffering from morning sickness and her mate named Quicksilver, who runs the local blacksmith with another stallion named Caramel, has visited a few times to check on her and bring her lunch. He's a quiet stallion but kind and always has a smile around Trixie. In the meantime, Twilight and Trixie have finished examining the new gryphon rifle and have begun plans for the next Arcana Rifle. From what Twilight told me, it will look similar to my Isis Rifle with two barrels; one for a new kind of physical projectile along with an improved version of the current magic projectile from the first model.

The gryphons haven't made a move yet after the defeat they suffered from our last battle, but it won't be long until we or they attack again. The Titans have also been repaired thanks to Luna's magic fixing and reinforcing the plating back into place. The Apache is now about eighty-four percent complete and only needs the plating, weapons, and rotor attached. Shouldn't take more than a week to finish now and I’m becoming increasingly worried that we won’t be finished by the time the gryphons try something again.

During Celestia's visits, as I promised Twilight, I handed her the blueprint for an old steam train and tracks which I'm sure they could modify to run on magic instead of coal. I can't risk giving them a more modern design as it requires an Electro-Fusion Battery and I don't want that falling into the wrong hands. The one powering the Canterlot radio tower is heavily guarded and has fail safes to ensure that no one can remove it. Should it be moved from its current spot, it will fry all the circuits and the conductor coils will overheat and melt, damaging the core beyond repair but not detonate it in the process.

Luna has been getting more and more... affectionate would be the term I think, towards me lately since the battle by spending most of her time with me. She even got me to play some of the few movies and games from earth for her and Eve on my Trailer's computer. We even spent a few nights out just talking and watching the stars as she made them seem brighter than normal.

Right now I'm welding another plate into place while Twilight and Trixie are making the finishing touches on their latest Arcana Rifle MK II model.

Using the crude gryphon bullets as a base, the new ammunition now fires small bullets made from enchanted crystals that do different things.

The red crystal bullets explode on contact, they had to be careful making these ones as a couple exploded when they charged them. Fortunately they did it behind a blast wall. The explosion isn't big enough to damage a tank, but if it hits a foot soldier... well, there's a high chance of blowing a limb off.

The blue crystals freeze the target on contact and if the bullet penetrates, it also freezes their internal organs as well.

The purple crystals give off a moderate discharge of electricity that will paralyse the target for ten or so seconds and possibly knock them out, or even kill them if it hits near the brain from the amount discharged.

And finally the green crystals: these ones are more like tranquillisers as they put the target to sleep for an hour or two.

These new crystal bullets are very well made and I'll be sure to upgrade my own arsenal with them later.

"Adam! Here's the next plate," Luna tells me with a smile and levitates the plate over to me.

"Thank you, Luna," I reply and take the plate from her and begin welding it onto the Apache.

I catch Luna staring at me for a while before she gets back to making the next plate. We've had to order more materials but Celestia said we can have whatever we need in payment for the Train blueprint.

"Ahhh!" I hear Twilight yelp in pain as the rifle she was working on accidentally discharges into her right foreleg, fortunately it wasn't an enchanted crystal but a normal one.

Luna quickly goes over to her and starts casting a healing spell to close the wound, after a few minutes a small scar is now in its place.

"Are you alright, Twilight?" I ask her and walk over.

She bends her leg at different angles but nodded after. "Yeah, still don't know why it went off, I didn't even pull the trigger..." she replies with a frown while staring at her new scar.

"Father, there is a unicorn outside wearing a cloak with some kind of signal jamming field around it," Eve suddenly warns us. "I didn't notice it before due to the field, but now that I am actively searching, I can see it," she tells us.

"Sounds like a 'notice me not' spell," Twilight says with worry.

Eve sends me the location and I quickly grab my Isis Rifle and head outside, and true to her word, there's a unicorn just outside the wall with a distorted effect around it. I can't make out any physical details or features due to the distortion.

"You will remain where you are, any sudden movements and I will open fire," I warn the unicorn.

From the gasp I hear, the unicorn sounds like a female. She growls and her horn glows green, but before I could fire she disappears in a flash of green magic.

That magic signature I just picked up matches that of the changeling still in Canterlot.

So not only do we need to deal with the gryphons but now possibly the changelings?

I head back inside after patrolling the perimeter a few times while Eve scanned our surroundings with the turrets on the roof. We found no trace of other changelings and I go back inside to tell the others.

"So the changelings are getting involved now? We may need to confront their Queen before we deal with Jackaal. I just hope the magic crystal my sister has been working on is finished soon, then we can use it to hopefully pacify the changelings or even make them allies," Luna says with a frown.

"I've got a general idea on where they are in the Everfree from the data I collected from the changeling in Canterlot. So once we've finished the Apache, I can go in and scout out their base or home. Possibly make contact and request an audience with their Queen," I reply and look at Luna. "I will need your help making a new weapon I wish to use," I ask her.

"What weapon is that?" she asks back.

I walk over to my computer and bring up the schematics for a Death Machine Minigun.

The seven point sixty-two calibre, triple barrel, one-thousand round, four-hundred pound weapon with a rate of fire of two-thousand rounds a minute is displayed on the screen in all its destructive glory. Soldiers on earth required an exosuit just so they could lift and carry the weapon and all its ammo around, this won't be an issue for me though.

"What is that!?" Luna asks with wide eyes as she reads the statistics of the weapon.

"It is called a Death Machine Minigun, and is one of the most lethal firearms ever created. I would like to have one made before I attempt to make contact with the changelings, if they get hostile then this will surely intimidate them and more," I reply before heading back to the Apache to continue welding.

After a minute or two, Luna returns and also gets back to making more plates. Eve is now actively scanning the perimeter while Twilight and Trixie are taking more precautions with the rifle and its ammo.

Ten Days Later

Eve has scared off a few more changelings that tried to approach and it seems some tried to get into Ponyville as well, but one was captured and the others chased off. The captured one was carted off to Canterlot and placed with the other one there. Although Celestia has been unable to get him to talk.

Celestia was not happy that the changelings were starting to attack her ponies so she sent more guards to protect Ponyville as well.

Not much has happened over the days except for the changeling activity, Luna and I mostly kept to working on the Apache and she even brushed up against me a few times, which confused me quite a bit. I think she is just being friendly towards me, she does tell me I'm her most best friend in the world.

Eve has also continued her studying and I believe she is almost ready to have her own body made, I will be making a child like body first and then later another when she is ready for one my size.

The Apache is finally complete and ready for a test flight. Twilight, Trixie, Luna, and Celestia are standing outside while I gradually pull the Apache out of the workshop.

Luna gawks at my strength as I'm pulling the multi-ton helicopter out. Once in a large enough clearing I stand beside the others and commit a single processor to control the helicopter.

The rotor starts to spin and picks up speed, same with the tail rotor. The others are now covering their eyes as the blades cause a gust of wind to blow into their faces.

I increase the power and swap my vision to the on board camera and take off. The Apache lifts off the ground and rises to one-hundred feet in the air.

"Oh my, I had my doubts something this heavy and big would be able to take off..." Celestia says with wide eyes.

I ignore her and begin testing the movements of the Apache. I strafe it left and right, then I turn it on the spot followed by raising and lowering it. I then make it take off towards Canterlot before turning it around and head back towards us.

It flies over our heads as the ponies cover their ears from the loud noise. I do a quick fly by over Ponyville where the towns folk stare in awe at the machine flying over them, Rainbow Dash even tried to get close but the rotor blades made her keep her distance. After a few more minutes of testing, I return the Apache to the workshop where I make it land on the roof where I had a heliport built for it.

"It would seem the Apache is in perfect condition. All we need to do now is arm it," I say and turn to face them.

It takes them a few minutes to shake themselves out of their stupor.

"That was incredible!" Luna shouts out in excitement. "And to think I aided in building such a machine!" she squeals with glee prancing around on the spot.

I chuckle at her giddiness and Look to Twilight. "How is your Arcana Rifle coming along, Twilight?" I ask her.

She shakes her head and looks up at me. "It's going well, it should be ready for testing in a couple of days," she replies.

"Good, now that the Apache is complete, I want to start making my Minigun before I head off into the Everfree," I say and head back inside the workshop.

"Minigun?" Celestia asks confused as she and the others follow me inside.

"It's a powerful weapon that looks like only Adam will be able to comfortably use. He's going to go and talk to the changelings and convince them to stop attacking us," Luna tells her.

"I see... Thank you for showing me the test flight of the Apache, Adam. It was very impressive and I'm sure will save many of our guards lives in the coming battles, and I also wish you luck when you talk to the changelings. The magic crystal is almost ready, the only problem is it takes awhile to absorb the magic in the air and we're working on a way to speed it up," she says and nodded to me. "Now I must return to Canterlot and return to my duties," she then tells us and then nuzzles Luna. "Come and visit me sometime this week, I miss you," Celestia says sadly.

"I will, sister," Luna replies and nuzzles back.

Celestia steps back as her horn then glows and she teleports away.

"Trixie and I are heading into town to get lunch, she's been having cravings for hay smoothies again," Twilight says with a giggle.

"Hey! I will have you know that hay smoothies taste delicious!" Trixie retorts and stomps out of the workshop.

I chuckle and shake my head. "I will remain here and get the schematics ready for the Minigun along with the materials needed," I inform them. "Why don't you go and join them, Luna?" I then ask her.

She looks conflicted for a second before nodding. "Lunch does sound good right now," she admits and follows the other mares out the door.

I look back at the pile of materials in the far corner and begin collecting the required parts and tools that I'll need to make this weapon.

Author's Note

Miniguns! WOOHOO!

So what do you think will happen with the changelings? Will they attack Adam or accept his request to talk?

Also Luna is getting more and more chummy with Adam... Na, probably just being friendly.

Chapter 21: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 1

The War Machine
Chapter 21: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 1

Once I've gathered the materials needed for the Minigun I plug myself into my Trailer to recharge my core whilst I wait for Luna to return.

I pick up my Ovion and play a puzzle game for forty-seven minutes before Luna returned. "Adam! I'm back. Shall we begin work on this Minigun of yours?" she calls out.

I power off my handheld and disconnect from my station. "Yes, I would like to head out as soon as possible," I reply and step off the Trailer.

"Very well, I see you got the materials and tools ready," she comments and heads over to her workbench.

Over the next two hours we worked on building and forging the parts for the weapon. It's mostly complete now with only the trigger and grip remaining to do.

"This weapon looks more intimidating than just a picture could show," she says as she levitates the completed grip over and I weld it into place.

"Wait until you see it in action. There are variants to this one like the Vulcan M98 which can hold two-thousand rounds has six barrels and can fire up to five-thousand rounds a minute, but is a lot less accurate than this one and burns through its ammunition too quickly for my liking," I reply.

"I see, so you've gone for accuracy and conservation?" she asks.

"Correct... and done. We just need to make the ammunition for it now," I reply and stand up from my hunched over posture.

Luna begins making the gunpowder, bullet tips, and casings while I use the ballistics table to pour the gunpowder into the casings and then place the lead tips into them. The process takes four hours to make one-thousand five-hundred rounds in which during Twilight and Trixie returned to make some final adjustments to their newest rifle design.

It's now late in the evening and the two unicorns have left to go home for the day. Luna and I have finished the ammunition with some spare for testing and have loaded it into the Minigun which I am now holding outside.

I aim my new weapon down the shooting range Twilight used when she made her first rifle. I press down the top button on the back grip and the barrels quickly start to spin.

"Luna, you may want to cover your ears," I warn her and wait a few seconds for her to put on a pair of modified ear protectors.

Once she's ready I squeeze the main trigger and fire off round after round into the raised hill at the back of the range, the gun sounds like it's buzzing as a constant stream of hot lead tears into the dirt and leaves a small hole behind as the muzzle flash lights up the area around me.

After about two-hundred rounds I release both triggers and lower the weapon which is steaming at the barrel tips. I then turn back to Luna and see her slack jawed with her wings spread out.

"Can I have one?" she asks drooling while staring at the Minigun.

"Perhaps later, but right now I have a changeling Queen to visit," I reply and head back into the workshop to refill my ammo and also equip my two Tac-90 pistols with five magazines each as well as topping up my shoulders micro missile pods.

Once ready, I stand outside and look towards the Everfree Forest. "Do you need to go now? It's too dark and they might be waiting for you..." Luna asks me.

"I have night vision so I can see just fine and I doubt a changeling can do any damage to me," I reply as it took alicorn level magic just to damage me.

She frowns for a few seconds and then sighs. "Alright, just let me know once you found them through the radio," she tells me and I nodded.

"Of course, I'll be back within twenty-four hours," I reply and activate my jet skates.

I lean forward and take off into the tree line while knocking aside bushes and small trees, creating a pathway straight to the changeling Hive.

I notice a pair of glowing eyes to my left and slide to a stop, the magic signature of a changeling right where the eyes are. I raise my weapon and spin up the barrels.

"Changeling, I can see you there. Come out slowly or I will open fire," I warn it,

The eyes narrow and the changeling hisses at me but complies and slowly steps out from behind a tree.

"Why are you here metal beast?" it asks me, sounds like a male.

"I wish to speak to your Queen," I reply.

His glare intensifies and he hisses again. "And what makes you think I would take you to her?" he asks me with a raised brow.

"I already know where the Hive is located, I just need to talk to your Queen about the recent attempts to get into my workshop and Ponyville... even offer to be allies and a means to feed her people," I reply emotionlessly.

"What do you mean?" he asks actually curious.

"Celestia and I have discovered a means to feed your people without needing to feed off the ponies anymore," I inform him.

He frowns as he looks down and is silent for a few seconds. He then looks back up at me. "The Queen has agreed to meet you, but any attempt to harm her and you will face the might of the swarm," he warns me.

I show no signs of intimidation and just nodded. "Very well," I reply and follow behind him. After a few minutes of walking he stops and quickly looks to the right.

A manticore walks out from behind some trees and stalks us. I slowly aim my weapon at the beast and press the top trigger spinning up the barrels. The beast growls at us and gets into a pouncing position.

After a few tense seconds the manticore leaps at the changeling and I pull the main trigger, sending seven shots into its centre mass punching holes right through it and into the trees behind it. Birds and other animals flee from the loud noise as the beast whimpers for a few seconds before going still.

I release the top trigger and the barrels slow down to a stop. The changeling just stares at the manticore's remains and then at me.

"That threat you made earlier?" I ask the changeling who just nodded at me. "I can handle that just fine," I tell him and he just gulps. "Now shall we continue?" I ask him.

He nodded again and with one last look and the manticore, we continue through the forest.

We were attacked a few more times by another manticore, a pack of ten timberwolves and a cockatrice, each of them now filled with holes leaving me with nine-hundred and fifty-six rounds left.

"What is your name?" I ask the changeling as we walk.

He remains silent for a few seconds before answering. "Thraxx," he replies.

"My name is Adam," I tell him and he glances at me.

"Why do you even want to help us... to the ponies, we're just monsters that prey on their love," he asks me.

"I've heard stories of your kind saying you kidnap ponies and place them into pods to feed off them, is that true?" I ask back.

He frowns at me and hisses. "No we don't, we just take the form of a loved one and feed on the love the other has for them before leaving back to the hive. We don't take ponies or stuff them into pods... whoever thought that up is an idiot," he replies and looks forward again.

"I see, what if I told you it wasn't love you were feeding off, but instead it is magic?" I ask him.

He looks at me as if I grew a second head. "Magic? We've fed on love for centuries, what makes you think it's magic?" he asks in reply.

"We ran tests on a changeling I caught at the world gathering months back and I've learnt a great deal about your kind and how it functions, including the telepathic network you all seem to share," I reply. "Tell me, have you ever been able to feed off of any non-magical races such as the simians, diamond dogs, and gryphons?" I ask him.

He goes to answer but then frowns again. "No... we couldn't..." he replies.

"It's because they have no magic in them. The zebras have magic that allows them to perform their shaman rituals and the minotaurs have magic due to their connection with nature," I tell him.

I pick up that signal again coming from him, seems he's communicating with his Hive. "That makes sense now..." he says and sighs. "The Queen really wants to meet you now if you truly have a means to allow us to feed in a better way," he tells me and picks up his pace.

I jog along side him for a good ten minutes until a roar echoes throughout the forest. The trees to our right are pushed aside as a Hydra with four heads glares down at us.

"W-What's a hydra doing this far out of the bog..." Thraxx mumbles with wide eyes, his posture suggesting he's ready to flee any moment.

I've read that hydra's have the ability to regenerate lost heads if they're cut off, but their organs are another matter. I spin up my Minigun and aim for the centre mass of its chest where I think its heart or lungs would be, and with a pull of the trigger I fire a hundred rounds into its body as the area around us is lit up due to the muzzle flashes. Blood and scales fly off along with chunks of muscle as a hole is bored through its chest cavity from the armour piercing rounds. Casings littering the forest floor making soft tinkling sounds as they hit stones, dead wood or other casings.

It roars in pain and staggers back before wobbling and collapsing, I then aim to each of its heads and fire three shots into each brain as an added measure.

"Y-You killed the hydra!?" Thraxx yells shocked.

"It was simple, destroy the organs and ignore the heads," I simply reply and stop spinning the barrels. "Let us continue before something else shows up," I suggest and he snaps out of his shock.

"R-Right," he replies and I detect that signal again.

After another fifteen minutes of jogging, we reach the entrance to the Hive. A pair of large changelings nearly the size of Celestia are guarding the entrance wearing some kind of organic looking armour, or maybe it is part of their chitin?

‘Luna, I’ve arrived at the Hive and have permission to see the Queen. I may lose radio contact once I enter the Hive, over,’ I contact Luna and inform her.

‘Very well, please be careful, erm, over,’ she replies.

‘Roger that,’ I say and cut the transmission.

Without word both the guards nodded to Thraxx and eyed me as we walked past, this telepathic network of theirs seems very efficient and useful. I can already imagine changelings among the Equestrian guards helping to relay orders faster than their radios could.

My feet crack the black surface of the Hive's floor with my weight as we pass by stunned or surprised changelings. I stay on alert in case there's the off chance they would ambush me if given the chance, but it seems they've been told to let me pass and stay away from me.

After a few minutes of navigating this labyrinth of a Hive, which I map out along the way so I know the way back out if I have to retreat, we reach a large set of green doors with another two of the large changelings guarding the doors.

They both then push the doors open and gesture me inside. I walk in as Thraxx remains behind and leaves to go elsewhere into the Hive.

I turn to face the throne at the back of the room with a large and slender changeling female sitting upon it.

"So you are the metal monster I've heard about, I've been keeping a close eye on you since that meeting of the world leaders... You've shown impressive military might," she tells me with a smirk on her face.

"The gryphons gave me no choice in the matter when they attacked, but you still have a choice. I've come here on behalf of Equestria in an attempt to negotiate a peace between us," I reply neutrally.

She hums in thought and grins at me. "And what is stopping me from just claiming you and your toys here?" she asks with a raised brow.

I raise my Minigun and spin up the barrels, I then fire forty rounds perfectly around her just missing by an inch, leaving an outline in the wall behind her with large holes where the bullets hit. The large guards in the room look ready to charge at me at a moment's notice.

"I can easily take on you and your changelings if I have to, you're in no condition to fight back if the malnourished condition of your body is any indication," I tell her coldly, her body looks thin and her ribs are showing.

She's staring wide eyed at the wall behind her for a few seconds before looking back at me, her expression is one of fear as she starts looking for a possible means to escape.

I lower my weapon from her. "I'm not here to start a war with you though, and your remarks, intentional or playful are not welcome at this time," I warn her.

"V-Very well... What is it you wish to discuss?" she asks me in a more friendlier tone instead of her previous condescending one.

"First I need to ask you if you think you feed on love," I ask her.

"I believed we did until your discussion with Thraxx," she replies

"We discovered it isn't love you feed on, but magic, it seems that the magical races just radiate more magic when they show affection for those they care for," I tell her.

"And you have proof of this?" she asks.

"We've performed tests with the changeling that attacked me at the nations meeting. Which by the way she's being treated fairly and is well fed," I reply and inform her.

She hums for a few seconds and narrows her eyes at me. "I've been unable to properly connect with her since you took her to Canterlot... I can still feel her there, I just can't hear her," she tells me and gets up off her throne as she begins to circle around me, she then notices my shoulder pods tracking her as she does so.

"Celestia and her team of researchers have come up with a way to allow a changeling to feed on magic from a crystal that gathers it from the atmosphere and then releases it like a pony would," I explain to her.

"And this works?" she asks intrigued.

"Yes, but they are having problems with the rate in which it absorbs the magic at the moment. They're trying to solve that issue as we speak," I reply.

She stops in front of me and looks at my visor. "And what would we have to give in return for such a gift?" she asks sceptical about it.

"That you join Equestria as allies, perhaps even trade," I reply.

She glares at me for a few seconds before sighing. "Very well then, if these crystals work and it is true that it is magic we feed on... then we shall join Equestria, but if you are lying, we will do everything we can to bring Equestria to its knees," she threatens me.

"Noted," I reply.

She holds a hoof out and I grip it in my hand lightly as I shake it. The doors burst open and one of those large guards runs up to us.

"My Queen! The Scarlet Hive has launched another attack on us! They've brought a larger force this time!" he tells the Queen. The Hive then shakes slightly. “They even have a behemoth!” he then says.

"What!? Gather our forces to repel them while you secure the elderly and the nurseries!" she orders the guard who nodded and runs off to carry out his orders. She then looks to me. "It would appear we have a problem to take care of first, if you'll excuse me, I have a Hive to protect," she tells me and walks past me.

"Would allowing me to help show my sincerity for us to be allies?" I offer her my aid.

She turns to me with a raised brow. "You would help defend my Hive?" she asks in surprise.

"Yes," I reply and open up my chest plating exposing my core to her. "I'll even allow you to feed on the magic in my core to help you fight off the attackers," I tell her.

Her eyes go wider as she looks at the prismatic light circling inside my core. She gingerly steps forward and places the tip of her horn to my core as the colourful light slowly comes out and seeps into her horn. She gasps as a few holes on her legs close and she pulls away.

I then close my chest plating and my magic levels read thirty-three percent remaining which is already starting to recharge.

The Queen's eyes seem to shine a brighter green as she sounds like she's purring.

"It seems I have misjudged you. I thought of you as a cold heartless killing machine, it seems you are just as capable of kindness and compassion as any of the ponies as well," she says and smiles at me. "My name is Chrysalis, Queen of the Jade Hive," she says to me holding out her hoof again.

I grasp it and shake lightly again as well. "And I am Adam, an A.I. allied with Equestria," I reply. The Hive then shakes slightly again and bits of the ceiling fall down. "I recommend we deal with the current threat before we continue with negotiations," I suggest.

"Agreed, please follow me and turn that impressive weapon of yours on any changeling with a red coloured chitin, they are the invaders who attack my Hive," she explains to me and runs out the door looking much better than when I first walked in.

I heft up my weapon and jog after her.

Chapter 22: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 2

The War Machine
Chapter 22: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 2

I follow behind Chrysalis down the tunnels of her Hive, I can pick up the sounds of fighting ahead as we round the corner and see more changelings, half with green coloured chitin and half with red coloured chitin fighting each other shooting bolts of red and green magic or trying to stab the other with their horns.

"Now, if you'd be so kind as to shred all those with red chitin that would make me very happy," Chrysalis tells me and fires a bolt of magic at one of the invaders.

I spin up my weapon and target all living red changelings before sweeping left to right firing a single round into the head of each one without hitting any of Chrysalis's changelings. The loud gunfire deafens the changelings as they cover their ears. Once I scan the room and find no more targets I lower my weapon and turn to the Queen.

"All targets eliminated, please direct me to the next location," I ask her ready to move on.

She stares at all thirty-two corpses and then at me, "Remind me never to anger you," she says to me with wide eyes.

"Noted, may we please move on? The longer we wait, the more of your changelings could be dying," I tell her.

"Oh, right," she replies and runs out the room as the changelings recover from the gunfire, no doubt temporarily deaf for the time being.

We continue running down the tunnels as I gun down the red changelings along the way, some try to shoot me back with red blasts of magic, but the bolts just dissipate on my plating. I target the hostile changelings and begin shooting each one in the head with a single bullet.

We arrive at a large cavern with what appears to be eggs in the walls. "Oh thank my chitin the nursery is okay," Chrysalis says and breathes a sigh of relief. I scan the room to see ten thousand holes in the walls and only three-thousand two-hundred and sixty-one have an egg in them.

"Then let us move on and find their point of entry," I suggest and turn around only to see a very large red changeling twice the size of Chrysalis staring at us with an ill intended grin.

"It's a brute and he's calling reinforcements!" Chrysalis says in dismay. Seems these brutes are quite troublesome to deal with.

But before anyone can make a move I spin up my weapon and unload a barrage of bullets into the brute puncturing through its chitin like paper, red blood splatters out and coats the back wall of the tunnel. After firing forty shots into the brute I take note that its chitin is harder than its smaller counterparts but not enough to stop my bullets, I can safely use up to five shots to effectively kill a brute.

"Threat eliminated, please show me where they are entering and I shall remove any remaining hostiles," I ask Chrysalis.

"I, you, but... he? How?" she mumbles and I lightly tap her wither.

"May we please continue so you can have your breakdown after the threat is removed?" I ask her again at her wasting precious time.

She blinks and then nodded. "Right, right. My warriors have informed me the breach is near the south of the hive. Follow me," she says as she runs off and I follow after her. I gun down a few more changelings along the way and as we near the breach, I regain a radio signal.

'Luna, I've contacted Chrysalis and have successfully negotiated an alliance, but her Hive is currently under attack from a rival Hive of red changelings, I am aiding her in the defence as a show of sincerity, over,' I contact Luna through her prosthetic leg's radio.

'Adam? Thank my moon you're alright, and congratulations on getting Chrysalis on our side, now we don't have to worry about her sending changelings into our... Equestria's towns. Oh, over,' she replies a with a slight stutter near the end.

'I'll contact you once this is all over, Luna. Please could you begin making more ammunition for the death machine? I seem to be going through quite a lot here, over,' I ask her.

'Very well, I'll see you when you return,' she replies and the radio cuts out.

We reach the breach and I look up at what was mentioned before, a red changeling the size of a house but it looks like its IQ is very low as it has a changeling on its back yelling basic orders at it.

I quickly aim my weapon at the behemoth and pull both triggers, the sound of the death machine echos throughout the forest lighting up the surrounding area in a dim light as the plating on the behemoth starts to crack but is holding strong, the behemoth then begins lumbering towards us. After firing a hundred rounds I switch to my micro missiles and launch four of them into the head of the hulking changeling. They explode on impact blowing off the behemoths face leaving the back of its skull remaining as it collapses onto the ground causing a mild quake.

I then turn my attention on the smaller changelings who just stare at me with wide eyes. They suddenly take off to the north west which from the maps I've seen is the badlands. I gun as many of them down as I could but they scatter in every direction.

Once I can detect no more, I turn back to Chrysalis. "It seems they have all fled. All that remains is searching your Hive for any remaining invaders," I tell her and check my ammo count; four-hundred and sixteen rounds left.

"Yes, my drones are telling me there are a few left but they're being dealt with," she tells me.

"Can you capture one alive? I'd like to get some information from them," I ask her.

"But we've never managed to get one of them to talk. They sever their connection to their Hive before killing themselves with a magical discharge," she tells me.

Processing... I will need to begin carrying inhibitor rings should I need to catch changelings. "Very well, I will try to track down this Scarlet Hive's location at a later date. Right now I need to return to my workshop and continue my work, would you be willing to arrange a meeting with Celestia at my workshop in three days? You will have both mine and Luna's protection in the event something hostile could happen," I offer her.

She frowns and looks towards Canterlot for a few seconds. "Alright, I'll be willing to meet with her, I'd like to confirm the status of these crystals myself," she replies.

"Very well, please wait while I contact Celestia," I tell her and contact the Canterlot radio tower. "Sound Wave, I need to speak with Princess Celestia, this is important," I ask the pony manning the controls.

"Huh? Who's this?" he asks. I'm using my speakers so Chrysalis can hear as well.

"This is Adam, I need to speak to Celestia about something important," I repeat to him.

"Oh, right the robo dude, yeah sure, I think day court ended just a few minutes ago. Just wait a few minutes while I send a guard to get her," he replies and I then hear talking in the background. "Okay, I've sent the guard... so, how have you been since we last spoke?" he asks.

"I have been well thank you," I reply.

"Good, good... how's Luna been?" he then asks.

"She is also doing well, she's teaching her daughter when she's not working on a project," I tell him and Chrysalis just looks at me wide eyed.

"Luna has a foal!?" Sound Wave yells in surprise.

"In a sense, we created a new A.I from my coding and she is teaching her about Equestria and the world," I reply unfazed from his outburst.

"I see... does that make you the father? Wait... does that make you Luna's mate?" he then asks confused.

"I suppose I could be considered her father as she is based off my code, though am not sure about being Luna's mate as I have no data on any kind of relationship customs," I reply.

We continue to talk for a few minutes before Celestia speaks up. "Adam? What's the matter? Has something happened with the changelings?" she asks me.

"You are correct in your assumption, I have contacted Chrysalis and she has agreed to be allies in exchange for the crystals you are developing," I reply to her enquiry.

"That is wonderful news," she says with a sigh.

"Will you be available in three days time for a meeting with Chrysalis at my workshop?" I ask her.

"I suppose so, what time will this meeting begin," Celestia asks me, her tone getting more serious.

I look to Chrysalis and she frowns. "I can meet with her at midday," Chrysalis tells me.

"Chrysalis? Is that you?" Celestia asks in surprise.

The changeling queen then goes wide eyed. "She can hear me?" she asks with confusion. I nodded and let Chrysalis and Celestia talk about the time and what they'll discuss.

"Thank you for informing me about this, Adam. I shall see you both in three days time," Celestia says and the radio disconnects.

Chrysalis is now smiling and looks up at me. "I need to check on my Hive, would you like a guide back to the entrance?" she asks me.

"That will not be necessary, I can make my own way back from here. I'll be looking forward to your arrival in three days," I tell her and activate my jet skates before taking off back to my workshop.

'Luna, we've successfully repelled the invaders and Chrysalis has agreed to a meeting with Celestia in three days time at the workshop, over,' I inform Luna over the radio.

'That's great! But it seems we have a bit of an issue back here...' she replies.

'What has happened?' I ask her. What could have happened while I was away?

'Well... it would seem that my night guard have resigned and are now requesting to be... well, posted here under my name again,' she tells me.

That could be problematic. They have nowhere to stay and by doing this they will no longer be Equestrian citizens. 'What have you told them?' I ask Luna.

'I have told them to set up camp outside until your return, while we both live here it is technically your workshop, so I'll leave the decision to let them stay or send them away up to you, but we have no way to pay them should you keep them,' she tells me.

Processing... I can visit my diamond dog den and gather some gems and gold as payment for the night guards services, but I will need to find out why they want to stay first. It will also give me a chance to check in on the den's progress.

'I believe I have a solution as to possible payment, but first I must find out their intentions before we make a decision. I am also on my way back now, ETA ten minutes and forty seconds,' I reply and inform her as I pass the corpse of the hydra I killed.

'Alright, Eve and I will wait for your return,' she replies and cuts the signal. I increase my speed and hurry back to my workshop following the path I've already made before.

Ten Minutes Later

I arrive to see twenty black tents set up near the workshop, I slow down to a jog and make my way to the entrance where I see Luna waiting for me.

"Welcome back, Adam," she says to me with a smile.

"Thank you. So these are the guards who want to stay?" I ask her and see thestrals walking around their camp.

"Yes, they said they joined the night guard to protect me, and when I left Canterlot for here, they lost their reason to stay and now wish to guard me here..." she replies and looks at the camp as well with a sad frown.

"I see... and would you let them stay?" I ask her for her opinion.

"Honestly? Yes, the thestrals are the only ones who didn't fear my return, but there are so few of them left since I was banished. Having them here as added security would be nice," she tells me and looks back at me.

"Very well, I shall speak with their commanding officer," I reply and walk over to the camp as I carry my minigun at the ready. "Who is in charge here?" I call out over the camp. Some thestrals gather around and start talking to each other.

"That would be me, Sir. Captain Night Hawk at your service," an aged stallion says walking up to me with a scar on his right foreleg. His fur is the typical dark bluish grey, with tufts of fur on the tips of his ears, his eyes are a golden yellow with slitted pupils and he has two sharp fangs in his upper jaw. His mane and tail are black with greying roots.

"Luna has informed me you wish to continue being her guards, you do realise she is no longer an Equestrian Princess correct?" I question him.

"We do, but back before her banishment, she's the only one who accepted us for our appearance. We've been called many things by the other pony races, werepony, vampony, corrupted pegasi and others as well. There's only two towns left of our kind and when we heard that the Princess of the Moon had returned, we mere twenty thestrals were happy to be her protectors once again... but ever since her resignation as Princess, we've lost our motivation to stay as night guards. We answer to Luna and Luna alone," he replies with conviction in his eyes as the others stand tall and proud.

I take note that none of the twenty ponies here have any armour or weapons with them. "Where are your arms and armour?" I ask the Captain and he frowns while glaring at the dirt.

"They were taken from us as they are property of the guard, but we'll make due, even if we have to make or buy our own gear," he tells me resolutely.

"And I take it you won't go back to your towns?" I ask him.

"We have travelled far to serve our Princess of the Night, we haven't flown all this way just to go home in disgrace. We shall serve our Princess, even if she is a Princess no more," he replies and looks at my optics.

I stare at him for a few seconds before making a decision. "Very well, I will be supplying you with food and necessities for the time being, along with armour and weapons. Once you've proven yourselves sincere I will begin paying you for your services. Is this acceptable?" I ask him and the others.

They all talk amongst themselves for a few minutes and nodded. "That is acceptable, Sir. What are your first orders?" he asks me as they all salute.

I look at them all and process data on their builds, they all seem in shape and ready for a fight, but I'm going to have to retrain them using human training methods, I saw how the ponies fought against the gryphons and suffered heavy losses. I will train these thestrals into a special forces unit able to take on anything thrown at them.

"I want you all to get some rest and prepare for training tomorrow night, I will be teaching you new combat tactics and engagement formations. You will learn how humans fight a war," I tell him.

They look confused but still nodded. "Sir yes Sir," They all reply at the same time and head off to their tents while six of them start patrolling around the workshop from the air keeping an eye on the surroundings.

I head back over to Luna and she has a raised brow. "They seemed happy," she comments with a smirk.

"They won't be after the training I'll put them through," I reply and look back to the camp.

Luna tilts her head to the left and looks confused. "Training? They have already received training, it's why they were guards in the first place," she tells me with a frown.

I chuckle slightly and shake my head. "They received pony training and tactics. I will be teaching them in human tactics and combat. They will be superior than the royal guard," I reply before heading into the workshop.

"Superior?" Luna asks as she follows me inside.

"You will see when I am done with them, we can even have a mock battle with the royal guards once their training is complete, but for now I will prepare their training tomorrow night after I visit the diamond dog den first," I reply and walk over to my trailer to recharge.

"Very well, I shall make some more ammunition for your minigun over night," Luna says and makes her way over to the ballistics table.

Chapter 23: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 3

The War Machine
Chapter 23: Meeting With a Changeling Queen Part 3

During the night, I've recharged my core and Luna has made two-thousand, four-hundred and six 7.62mm rounds for my death machine minigun before she raised the moon and taught Eve for a while longer before retiring till midday.

Once charged, I step out of my station and exit the workshop. I notice a few of the thestrals still patrolling the area in the early morning sunrise while the others get some rest. One of them flies down to me and salutes.

"Good morning, sir," she greets me. She's a couple inches shorter than her Captain, Night Hawk.

"Good morning. Please inform your Captain that I will begin their training later today as I have prior arrangements to keep. We shall begin once I've returned," I tell her and she nodded.

"Yes, sir," she replies and flies off to the camp.

'Father, shall I inform mother of your departure should she awaken before your return?' Eve asks me through the comms.

'You may,' I reply before activating my jet skates and head out to the diamond dog den.

The trip doesn't take long and I arrive at the large open iron gates of the den, the antenna for their radio's to work inside is still up and functional. The two guard dogs at the gate perk up at the sight of me and I note their tails are wagging.

"Alpha! Is honour seeing you again!" the left guard says to me with a bow.

"I've just come to see how your progress is coming along," I reply and they let me pass. I see a few other races wandering in and out of the den with materials and other items; for trading, most likely.

After passing the lively market area which looks very well maintained, I enter the main cavern and find it's been improved remarkably with a pool of sparkling water, a crystal floating overhead to provide light to all, sitting in the middle of the room to act as a gathering place. I figure the crystal was very likely sold to the Den from a unicorn at some point.

"Alpha! Welcome back," Spot walks over from the town hall they've built and greets me looking much better since I last saw him. He's wearing a small suit with a couple of gems sticking out of the chest pocket.

"Thank you, how are you and the others fairing?" I ask him. I can tell by just looking around that they're faring well, better clothes, tools, homes, and they all look much happier.

"We are good! Ponies and minotaurs very friendly now, they trade cloth and food for metal and gem. I dare say we do better than Alpha-King himself!" he replies with a smile.

"That is good to hear. I'll be needing gold and gems later to pay Luna's guards, will you be able to mine and gather some?" I congratulate him before getting down to my reason for being here.

"Of course! You help us be better, we help you however you need!" he replies happily and whistles loudly. Two guards walk over and bow to Spot. "Gather two carts of gold and gems! Alpha requires them," he tells them and they run off to get what they were told to.

"Thank you, Spot. If you require anything else, let me know," I tell him and he nods.

"Thank you, Alpha! I shall keep our home well and happy while you away," he says and bows.

"Have the carts delivered to my workshop later today, I'll also have some more tools made for you to take back," I inform him before turning around and head back to the entrance where many non-dogs stare or move out of my way.

Once outside, I use my jet skates to return to the workshop.

I've returned before Luna has awakened and began making plans on my Trailer's computer for a magic powered rifle. After witnessing Twilight's rifle and all the information I've read and processed on magic, I'm certain I can create a powerful long ranged sniper rifle utilising magic. Whether or not it'll be a beam or projectile type will remain to be seen.

It's close to midday and I've designed the body of the rifle after the anti-tank GX-20 sniper rifle. It's two metres long and has a scope that can zoom up to twenty times more than a human eye can see. I plan to make a large battery magazine that would be estimated to hold ten rounds before needing to reload or recharge.

I'm temporarily broken out of my thought processes when Luna yawns while leaving her room.

"Good afternoon, mother," Eve greets her.

Luna yawns again and walks over to the far corner where her food is kept in cupboards. "Good afternoon, Eve," she replies and retrieves an apple. "I take it the diamond dogs are doing well?" she asks me as she walks over.

"Very. They're prospering and trade with the other races is going well for them. Their quality of life has improved and the den is looking more and more like a town than the hole it used to be," I reply and step out of my Trailer.

"What were you doing?" she asks me and tries to look inside at the computer.

"I was designing a magic based sniper rifle; right now I have the frame planned out, but I just need to work on how it'll function next," I reply.

"What's a sniper rifle?" Luna asks me confused.

"It's a long barrelled rifle that is extremely accurate and can hit targets over a mile away, depending on weather, ammunition calibre, and the shooter's aim," I reply.

She goes wide eyed and stares at me. "Could we use that to take out Jackaal from outside Gryphonstone?" she asks me with wide eyes.

"Possibly, but I'll need a clear line of sight and I don't know if magic will even make an effective projectile for a weapon like this. If it doesn't, then I can always try to make it into a railgun using magic to increase the projectile's speed and accuracy," I explain to her and head over to the second Titan Tank still showing some damage from our attack on the gryphon outpost.

"I see, magic does dissipate the longer it's not supplied with more magic... the projectile would most likely fade away before reaching the distance you want," she tells me.

"Hmm, very well, a railgun it will have to be," I reply and head back into the trailer to begin work on altering the magazine to use .50 calibre rounds and make the barrel accelerate the bullet out of the weapon without generating recoil. I'm sure I can handle any additional recoil it may produce, but should I allow Luna to use it, I don't want it flying out of her grip.

"And what is this railgun?" she then asks me looking over my shoulder at the design on screen.

"A railgun is an electromagnetic projectile launcher, that foregoes explosive or propellant like gunpowder to launch the projectile down the barrel at over three kilometres a second," I explain and finish changing the design.

"Three kilometres a second!?" she exclaims shocked.

"Correct, this will make an effective anti-vehicle weapon and sniper rifle," I say and head out of the Trailer. "Now if you'll excuse me a moment, I should begin the thestrals training," I tell her and head for the door.

She follows me outside where I see ten of the thestrals up and about. I walk over to them and they look up towards me.

"Get your soldiers together, Captain Night Hawk," I tell the thestral Captain.

"Sir? We're guards, not soldiers," he replies, confused.

"After I'm through with you, you'll be soldiers and greater than the Royal Guards are, I can promise you that. You'll also have access to better armour, weapons, equipment and medical," I explain to him making them all mumble to each other.

"If it will help protect, Princ... Lady Luna, we will do it," he says confidently.

"Very well. Firstly I want you to run fifty laps around the workshop, then I want you to rest for ten minutes before doing fifty more laps flying. I'll work on building an obstacle course for you over the next couple of days," I tell them and they all salute before running off gathering the others and then proceed to run their laps.

"So what kind of course will this be?" Luna asks me.

"A standard one humans use, just altered to accommodate pony physiology," I reply and head inside to retrieve the materials I'll need for the course.

Two Days Later

The obstacle course is up and the thestrals are beginning their first attempts at it. Most are having trouble climbing the rope nets, but they excel at leaping over and ducking under the log hurdles, as well as the barbed wire course. Right now I'm just looking at their current physical condition, which at the moment is good.

I've continued with my railgun design with Luna's help during the integration of the magical coils it'll need around the barrel to pull the projectile through the barrel. We'll need a lot of the runes Twilight used for her rifle along the coils all chained together feeding the others to make them stronger.

Twilight came by and said she'll be staying in Ponyville for a week as her brother is visiting for a while. Trixie is spending time with her coltfriend and might not return until after her foal is born.

The diamond dogs arrived with two carts of gold and gems that I’ll be using to pay the thestrals with as promised, they also took back more tools for mining and digging.

I've left Captain Night Hawk to watch over his thestrals while we wait for Celestia and Chrysalis to show up. It doesn't take long and Celestia arrives via flying chariot.

"Hello, Adam. Hello, Luna. I take it Chrysalis has yet to arrive?" she asks us and I shake my head.

"Not yet," I reply and continue watching the thestrals.

"What's all this?" Celestia asks confused while watching the thestrals train.

"The night guards wanted to serve Luna still, so I offered them payment, equipment, and training for their services," I reply.

"Training? The night guards were already trained," she tells me with a frown.

"No offence to you, Celestia, but your guards’ training and tactics are outdated and put your troops at risk; the death count you suffered during our assault showed that. I'm going to be teaching these thestrals human tactics and strategies," I reply. A thestral then yelps as she trips on the wire grid trying to hop through them quickly.

Luna winces as the mare's chin slams into the ground. A couple of other thestrals come over and help her up and lead her away to get checked out.

Celestia glares at me for my honest opinion on her guards. "I myself designed the guard’s training program four-hundred years ago," she tells me in a stern tone.

I turn to look at her and if I had eyebrows I would be raising one right now. "That would explain a few things, you haven't tried to improve or add to it? The humans who built me always strive to better themselves, they push beyond their limits. It's one of the reasons I exist: without them expanding their limits, I wouldn't be alive," I reply turning my attention back to the training thestrals.

Celestia was about to retort, but a buzzing sound I recognise as changeling wings comes from the Everfree Forest getting my focus. "They're here," I announce, distracting Celestia from whatever she was going to say.

I detect three changelings coming our way and see Chrysalis with two drones following her.

"She's looking better than the last time I saw her," the white alicorn comments.

The thestrals stop their training and keep an eye on the newcomers. Chrysalis eyes the Apache on the workshop's roof before landing a few metres away from us.

"Welcome, Queen Chrysalis," I greet her and she nodded to me.

"Thank you, Adam. I must say I'm surprised that all these ponies are here, are you raising an army of your own?" she chuckles at me with a grin.

I chuckle in return and shake my head. "No, they're here to protect Luna," I reply.

"I see..." she says and turns to Celestia. "Hello, Celestia..." she greets the alicorn with a neutral tone.

"Hello, Chrysalis... how are you?" Celestia asks timidly.

"Oh you know, starving slowly after you rejected to help us all those centuries ago," the changeling Queen replies sarcastically.

Celestia's ears go flat against her head with a regretful expression on her face. "I... I was fearful for my ponies. I thought you would end up draining all the love out of them making them hateful and cruel... I, I let my paranoia get the better of me. Only now that we’ve learnt more about your people do I regret my actions," she says sadly, head hanging low in regret.

"And because of that paranoia, my changelings have suffered for centuries! Did you know the only time I've had a decent meal since then was from Adam when he came to us?" Chrysalis tells Celestia with a frown.

Celestia winces and closes her eyes. "I know saying sorry won't be enough... but I wish to make amends," she says to the Queen.

Said Queen snorts and looks away. "Then you can start by getting those crystals you promised working," Chrysalis replies still with her frown.

"Of course," Celestia says and looks up at her. "We've almost got them working right, it shouldn't be more than a week or two now... but until then, would some of my magic be enough?" she offers the Queen who looks shocked.

"Sister? You would give some of your magic?" Luna asks surprised.

Celestia smiles sadly and nodded. "It was my fault that they're in this state in the first place. I have to make it right," she replies and walks over to Chrysalis.

The Queen backs up a step with a stunned expression. "Y-You would allow me to feed off you?" she asks slowly.

"A little, I still need to raise and lower the sun," the white mare replies and taps her horn to the Queen's.

Chrysalis gasps as magic flows into her horn making her legs shake, the holes in her body all close and her ribs are no longer showing. The Queen's legs give out and she collapses to the ground panting before a loud belch escapes her.

Luna giggles at the disoriented changeling and smiles.

"I'm afraid that is all I can give," Celestia says sadly.

From the expression on the Queen's face, I'd say it was more than she was expecting.

"We're afraid our Queen is unable to continue, do you have a place for her to rest and process the lov... magic she was given?" one of her guards asks, surprised his Queen is smiling contently.

"She can use my bed for now," Luna offers and levitates the twitching Queen whose eyes are glowing bright green.

The two changeling guards follow her into the workshop where she and Eve will both keep an eye on them.

"That turned out well," I comment to Celestia who looks upset still.

"I didn't know I put them through such hardships... just because of rumours and fear," she replies and sighs. "Please inform me when she awakens, I would like to continue our... discussions," she asks me.

I nodded in reply. "Very well, Celestia."

She smiles slightly and then takes off back to Canterlot on her chariot.

I then turn to the shocked-looking thestrals. "Get back to training!" I order them and they snap out of it before running the course again.

I head inside and to the back where Luna's room is to find Chrysalis on Luna's bed babbling to herself with a smile.

Luna turns to look at me and giggles. "She'll be fine, she's just overfed and... I guess high on the magic in her system right now," she tells me while the two changelings look nervously at me.

"I see, I take it you'll be looking after her while she's out?" I ask her.

"Yes, these two will inform me if anything changes," she replies gesturing to the Queen's two guards.

"Alright, I'll be in my Trailer working on my design then," I tell her getting an affirmative.

I then head back to my computer and continue work on the magic railgun design.

Chapter 24: Eve's Upgrade

The War Machine
Chapter 24: Eve's Upgrade

Chrysalis is still out from feeding on Celestia's magic while I've finished my design for my new railgun.

I exit the Trailer and walk over to Luna's room before knocking on the door "Luna, I've finished my design, how is our guest?" I ask her.

The door opens with Luna standing there. "She is well. Her drones have told me she'll be like that for awhile as she processes the magic in her system," she informs me. I look over to the bed and see Chrysalis giggling with a large smile on her face.

"I see, I will then begin a design for Eve's child based body," I tell her and address Eve. "Eve, would you prefer a humanoid or pony body?"

"I would like a pony body like mother please." Her simple response ends up putting a grin on Luna’s face.

"Very well, I shall begin making the design now." I then turn back to Luna. "Let me know when she awakens and then contact Celestia," I ask her.

"Okay," she agrees and returns to her previous conversation with the changelings.

I return to my trailer and create a new folder on the computer named 'Eve alicorn foal frame V0.1'. Over the course of half an hour, I start by constructing the model of the skeletal structure made from Titanium. Once that is done, I begin putting the nanofiber muscles around them with the wires needed to move the limbs of the skeleton around.

This process takes an hour, I then hear noise coming from Luna's room and make my way over to it. I knock on the door as I can hear Chrysalis giggling and talking.

"Adam?" I hear Luna ask.

"Yes, it is me. From the sound of it, I take it Chrysalis is now awake?" I ask her.

"She is, I have already informed my sister and she is already on her way back down," she replies as Chrysalis looks at me.

"Hello, Adam. Luna here was just talking about Celestia's little secret of her cake stash she keeps preserved with a few spells in her room," she tells me and giggles again.

Personally I don't see how that is funny. "I see. As you are fine, I shall return to my work. It is good to see you in better shape now, Chrysalis," I reply and turn back towards my Trailer, where I hear a faint thank you from the Queen.

I resume my work and get started on the core of the body. After having uploaded and analysed my own core blueprint in the computer, I can have Eve harness magic as well, though I plan to tone down the amount of magic generated until such time that Eve can properly control her abilities. I plan the wires and channels to allow the magic to flow throughout the frame, which reminds me I'll need to do the same for myself later.

Mid way through the process, Celestia arrives and I let her in and guide her to Luna's room where she enters with a smile. I leave the alicorns and Queen to their discussions and continue with the design.

I finish the core and start on the built-in flight module. I'll take the F-28 Valkyrie Jet module's design and start thinking of ways to adapt it into the body. I decide to sacrifice speed for a smaller pair of engines which will come out of the sides of the barrel with a pair of retractable wings that will rest on the back, similar to Chrysalis' wings.

This takes me a good extra two hours and fifteen minutes to get right and after simulated testing, I believe it can reach speeds of at most one-hundred and thirty miles an hour.

The next step of the process involves the head containing the circuits, processors, and A.I core forged with a titansteel frame from one of my remaining spare plates I have left where all of Eve's memories and personality will be housed, just without the meltdown fail-safes like mine has. After forty-two minutes of work, Celestia, Chrysalis, Luna, and the two changeling guards exit Luna's room with smiles on their faces.

"I'm so glad we came to an agreement, Chrysalis. We'll have the crystals ready soon and delivered to your Hive," Celestia says to the Queen.

"Yes, well, we would also like these radios Luna told us of as well. It would help us keep in contact and we wouldn't mind having more music to listen to, we don't exactly have the time and resources for many of our own instruments," she replies.

"Of course. Adam? Would you be able to set up an antenna as well as a small station for the changelings?" Celestia asks me once she’d received most of my attention while I set aside a processor for my current task.

"I can do that. I wish to finish the design for Eve's new body first which shouldn't take me too much longer, then I can head out with Luna to build the antenna and station, but they'll have to trade something for the radios I'm afraid," I reply whilst still working on constructing the frame of Eve's core onto the schematic.

Chrysalis sighs and nodded. "We can do that, while building our tunnels we came across plenty of ores and gems which we had not much use for. I suppose we'll have a use for them now."

"That is agreeable. Celestia, will you be supplying the materials for the antenna and station, as we are running low ourselves?" I ask the white alicorn, only glancing up at her to remain mostly respectful of the conversation.

"Yes, we'll have them delivered to you in a few days," she replies and starts heading towards the exit. "It's good to have you as an ally, Chrysalis. And again, I'm so sorry for pushing you and your changelings away so long ago," Celestia adds somberly towards Chrysalis.

"Hmm, while I can say ‘I'm grateful for your help’, I'm still a little cross with you, but I'm sure that will fade in time. And since we're now allies, if you help us with a problem of ours, we'd gladly lend you a hoof in dealing with the gryphons," the Queen says getting Celestia's attention.

"What problem?" Celestia stops to ask her.

"The Scarlet Hive has been attacking us for many years trying to take our Hive for themselves so they could prey on the ponies here. We know where their Hive is after the sacrifice of one of my children discovered it before being killed, we would like Adam's help in... removing the threat they pose to us as well as to you should they succeed in taking over," the Queen explains cautiously. She didn’t want to seem to be begging for so much, especially after how her old enemies and the biped had helped her and hers so much already. She had to retain some semblance of pride in herself and her Hive.

"I see, is it not possible to speak with them in friendly diplomacy?" Celestia asks unsure about it.

"No. Unlike me, Queen Stragna has always been the ‘take first, never ask’ type, she'll not care what you'll have to say and just take what she wants from you and not hesitate to kill you," Chrysalis replies with a frown. "She was responsible for my mother's death over two-hundred years ago."

"So you want revenge as well?" I ask Chrysalis, not looking away from my monitor as I work and at the same time announcing that I had been listening in.

"Of course, she murdered my mother and many other changelings as well as other races, you don't want to know how she drains lo... magic from ponies," the Queen stamps a hoof on the ground, turning to glare in my general direction.

I finally glance over to her despite that I could still watch her through the room’s cameras. "And you're sure she's a threat to us?" I ask to confirm.

"Very much so, I've heard she's already wiped out the Lotus Hive. If you hadn't aid us a few days ago, we may have lost against them. You killing that behemoth has set them back a lot as they take a lot of lov... magic.” Chrysalis takes a second to catch her breath and try to further wrap her mind around the new term of how they fed. “To birth and grow. I still haven't gotten used to it being magic and not love," she mumbles the last part to herself.

"Very well, I find your explanation as satisfactory. Therefore, as your ally, I shall lend my aid to defend both Equestria and your Hive," I announce as I finish the new A.I core's frame design.

"Thank you, it'll be a few months before they'll attack again hopefully, but I'm sure we'll be ready before then," Chrysalis offers a faint smile in return.

With the final pieces of equipment designed and ready for production, I get up and follow the others outside.

"I'll be by in a few days to set up your radio station, if something should happen before then send one of your drones to inform us," I tell Chrysalis.

"Very well. A note, though. It is possible that I could just leave Sheldon here to communicate with you if needed using the hive mind," she replies making the changeling on the right look at his queen with disbelief.

"Very well, he may stay with the thestrals for now as I'm sure they have more tents with them," I say and turn to Luna. "Luna, I am ready to start constructing Eve's new body and require your assistance," I inform her.

"Eve's new body?" Celestia asks with wide eyes.

"Correct, she has chosen the body of a pony. It shall be the size of a filly at first until such time that she is ready for an adult sized one," I explain while heading back inside.

Luna follows me in and we collect all the materials needed for it, we just have enough for a foal sized body but nowhere near the amount required for anything bigger.

"We'll have to get more titanium, steel, copper, and gold tomorrow," I make the passing note to Luna as she starts melting down the titanium for remoulding.

"I can head to the diamond dog town and collect some ore from them, as well as inquire with my sister whether she could give us some more for your assistance in the outpost assault and getting the changelings on our side," she replies.

“I’ll take the Town myself and you speak with your sister. Lighten the load, as it were.” I bring up the schematic onto her workbench screen in order for her to start reshaping the molten titanium into the skeletal structure of the body. The overall process takes two hours and eighteen minutes as she has to hold it in place while it cools so that each ‘bone’ doesn’t fuse to each other.

Once done, I start the process of weaving the nanofiber muscles over the skeletal frame over night while Eve assaults me with questions about her new body and Luna gets some rest so she can help mould the plates for the chassis in the morning.

The time is now six am where Luna has gotten up and lowered the moon, I've finished both forelegs and have started on the hind legs. Luna, after eating her breakfast and a warm shower, has begun making the core's frame from titanium. This takes a good four hours as we want to get this piece perfect without any flaws.

Twilight has arrived during the core's construction and has resumed work on her next rifle. I've also instructed the thestrals to continue with laps and the obstacle course until I say they're ready for the next step.

We continue throughout the day working on the small core making sure it's perfectly made. We don't want this to detonate on startup.

Three Days Later

Thanks to Luna's magic, Eve's new body is now ready and tested. The core is functioning perfectly and the flight systems are working as well. Twilight was fascinated by the little robotic body as I controlled it wirelessly during the tests.

The past three days have been uneventful. Diamond dogs arrived with carts of ore and a few gems to replenish our stock, in return they took back some new tools and armour for new guards they're training, I'll have to ask if some of them would like to train here with the thestrals later.

Twilight has progressed in her rifle design in a similar fashion to mine, the top barrel now uses the gryphons lead ammunition while the bottom barrel uses her magic crystal ammunition. She's also begun work on improving the magic crystal bullets to travel faster and retain their magic as they travel.

The materials for the antenna have arrived along with some extra for my involvement of the gryphon outpost assault. I now have enough to make ten adult sized pony frames if I wanted to. Once Eve is in her new body, Luna and I shall make our way over to the Hive and set up their own radio station.

Right now, I'm connecting Luna's computer to Eve's new body in preparation of transferring her data over to its on-board A.I core.

"There, I shall now begin the transfer," I say and start the process with the push of the enter key.

I watch the monitor as the progress bar slowly increases, I'm not taking any chances with this and shall do it slowly to ensure every byte of data makes it over.

"Oh, I can't wait!" Luna exclaims excitedly while hopping on the spot like an hyperactive child.

"Well you'll have to. It may take an hour for the transfer to finish," I tell her and just keep watching the monitor for any complications.

"I know! But the anticipation is killing me!" she replies and I shake my head as she starts jumping on her bed. And she's supposed to be over a thousand years old?

Luna barely contained herself during the transfer, but the progress bar finally hits one-hundred percent as the little pony frame shudders and the systems come online.

I've altered the visor to show two little light blue oval shapes for eyes that can change to show a few variations of emotion like; happy, sad, angry, or annoyance. I shall also upgrade my visor to do the same later after the Hive antenna is up.

After a few seconds, the ovals appear on the visor as the head starts moving around. "Mother?" Eve asks and looks up at Luna.

Luna's giddiness overwhelms her and she levitates the metallic filly up before hugging her tightly.

"Oh this is wonderful! You have no idea how long I've wanted to hold you in my forelegs!" Luna squeals and nuzzles Eve's head affectionately.

"Are your systems functioning correctly?" I ask Eve who turns her head to look at me. The two blue eyes moving across the visor to show where her optics are looking at.

"As far as I can see, father. All systems are running at one-hundred percent efficiency," she replies and looks back to Luna.

"Good, we'll make sure everything continues to run smoothly before Luna and I head out to the Hive and set up their antenna and station," I say and start moving materials out to the front where I'll then have the Apache airlift the supplies to the Hive.

Once all the steel and components we'll need has been made and prepared, I activate the Apache and make it hover over the crate of materials. I then hook it to the Apache and make it ascend higher until it goes above the treeline.

"Are you ready, Luna?" I ask her.

"Yes, and Eve wishes to come with us," she replies as Eve walks up beside her.

"Do you know how your flight system works?" I ask my daughter.

Her hooves light up as the stabilizers under them come online. She lifts off the ground by two feet and holds herself steady. "Yes, father. While you were gathering the materials, I spent time performing simulations with the flight controls and have gained a fair bit of practice."

"Alright, the materials are ready to go. Shall we depart?" I ask Luna who nodded in return.

"Yes, I am quite eager to see Chrysalis' Hive myself," she replies and levitates my Death Machine Minigun over to me. "You might need this though," she says as I take it from her magical grip.

I dedicate two processors towards the Apache and have it hover over us, hopefully the noise it's making will scare off the predators in the forest. We then begin our trek through the forest and to the changeling Hive.

Chapter 25: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 1

The War Machine
Chapter 25: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 1

Luna, Eve, and I walk through the forest towards Chrysalis' Hive with the Apache flying over the canopy. The loud noise from the rotors are keeping the wildlife away from us at least, but I have my minigun ready for anything that might be brave enough to still attack.

It takes us thirty-seven minutes to reach the Hive where the two large guards out the front greet us but look up at the Apache warily.

"I have brought the materials to begin building the radio station," I inform them getting a nod from the left one while the right one closes his eyes. A few seconds later Chrysalis comes out of the Hive's entrance and smiles at us.

"Welcome, Adam, Luna," she greets us and then looks down to the mechanical filly. "And who is this?" she asks and leans down to look at Eve more closely.

"This is our daughter Eve," Luna replies and levitates the filly into her hooves for a hug.

"Ah yes, you did say you were building a body for her... fascinating," Chrysalis says and then looks up at the Apache. "And you've brought your flying machine as well," she comments as I lower the cable holding the supplies down as there's no suitable landing zone.

"It was the fastest way to transport the materials," I reply and then guide the Apache back to the Workshop once the materials were unhooked. They all watch the Apache fly off while I grip the handle of the cart. "Where would you like the station set up?" I ask the changeling Queen.

She hums in thought and looks around. "Is it possible to set it up inside?" she asks me.

"Yes and no. The station can be inside, but the antenna has to be topside to pick up a signal. I can set the antenna up here with a cable going inside to the station," I reply.

"Very well. There's a dense area of trees just to the left of us that can act as natural cover for the antenna. We also have a deep room for the station to be placed," she tells me.

"That can work, I'll also have to set up a network of transmitters around the Hive if you want the radios to pick up a signal so deep underground. The diamond dogs were easy to set up as their living area is one big cavern with homes built around it. Yours is more like an anthill with tunnels spreading out in all directions," I explain to her.

"I see... and please don't compare ants to us, it's degrading," she tells me.

"I apologise if I offended you, please show me to the location where the antenna will go," I reply and ask her.

She grumbles but walks off and I follow behind her while pulling the cart full of materials. It doesn't take long to reach the area and it is indeed well covered with trees.

I look around for the best spot and find one with trees around a small clearing. I start calculating the necessary materials and the size of the antenna, once done I lift a small steel beam and place it upright in the small space.

"Luna, please weld the beams together while I hold them in place," I ask my alicorn friend and she nodded while levitating the welder from the cart.

Two Hours And Fifteen Minutes Later

The antenna is now up and ready to connect to the station once it's built. Eve was allowed to roam inside the Hive with a guide to learn what she could about the changelings. She was shown the nurseries and living area, as well as joining in on a class teaching shape shifting to young changelings just learning to use their magic.

"This will receive the signals?" Chrysalis asks with a confused expression. There's also four solar panels on the sides of the antenna to keep the station's small battery charged.

"Correct, now we just need to build the station and transmitters. Please lead the way," I reply and grip the cart with a free hand.

Luna is levitating a long line of cable that will be stuck to the ceiling of the tunnels with some changeling adhesive they make in an organ where a pony's stomach would be. Drones start arriving and take turns applying the green sticky substance while we follow Chrysalis to where she wants this station set up.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrive at a room about four metres wide and three metres tall. There's a black table to the left and what appears to be something similar to a filing cabinet to the right.

Chrysalis stops in the middle of the room and turns to face me. "I would like the station here please."

I leave the cart in the tunnel as it won't fit in the doorway. "Very well, Luna and I will begin assembling the battery and connect it to the antenna. I will then set up transmitters around the Hive to relay the signals from the station," I reply. Luna and I start building the battery which is smaller than Canterlot's but big enough to power the station and transmitters.

The Next Day

The battery takes all night to build and hook up to the antenna which also has the same fail-safes as Canterlot's battery to prevent tampering, but now it is morning and the solar panels are charging the battery at a decent pace.

As for the control system, it is just a simple laptop hooked up to the battery that will monitor the battery’s charge, the signals coming and going as well as contacting others connected to the network. So far only my Workshop, Canterlot, and now the Jade Hive are linked, but hopefully sometime in the future, all allies of Equestria will be connected to it.

Chrysalis walks in looking tired while yawning. "Good morning, Adam, Luna. Is it done?" she asks and blinks her eyes slowly.

"Almost, I just need to set up the transmitters now to allow the deepest areas to receive the signal," I reply and run a systems check on the laptop.

The battery is receiving more power from the early morning sun's rays which is now also charging the laptop in turn. The signal from the Canterlot radio station is coming in clear and with a quick test, classical music is now playing through the laptop's speakers.

Chrysalis stares at the laptop with wide eyes and walks over to look at the screen. "This is very fascinating. The beings that built you must be a fearsome race," she says looking at the animated lines reacting to the instruments currently playing.

"They are, and this is just everyday technology to purchase in a store to them. Imagine a ship that can travel the stars and land on other planets, though they cost a fortune to be made, is possible to do," I tell her and walk over to the cart examining the remaining materials. Seems enough to make three transmitters.

"Travel to other planets?" Chrysalis asks while Luna looks at me with wide eyes.

"You have access to such vessels?" Luna asks me excitedly.

"I have a few designs for small spacecrafts, big enough to leave the planet and get to the moon," I reply and grip the cart's handle. "Where would you like the three transmitters?" I ask the changeling Queen.

She shakes her head and waves her foreleg. "In the residential area, my personal chambers, and our barracks," she replies and I follow her.

"Can we discuss these vessels later, Adam?" Luna asks me with a grin on her muzzle.

"Alright. Though if you're thinking of making one, we don't have the resources for such a project. And our Workshop isn't big enough to house a starship, even a small one," I tell her making her deflate a bit.

"How big are they?" she then asks.

"The smallest which can carry six people is ten times bigger than a Titan Tank," I reply.

Her jaw drops and she babbles a bit before shaking her head.

"And how big is the largest vessel?" Chrysalis asks intrigued.

"That would be a colony ship that was still being designed to house thousands of people to colonise a new planet or planetoids to mine for resources. This one was built to be as big as one-hundred times the size of Canterlot Castle. They’re required to be built up in space for lack of damaging the environment with heavy ship construction," I reply as we enter a large cavern with changelings fluttering about, leaving Luna, Chrysalis, and a few changelings looking gobsmacked. It appears their homes are built into the walls as well as the ceiling, which makes sense as they can all fly.

I scan the area and quickly find the best area to place the transmitter. I walk over to it and I can faintly hear Luna squeal.

"Could we one day colonise our moon?" the alicorn asks me with glee in her tone.

"Perhaps one day, once we have all the materials required for such a venture. Though I doubt that would be within the next sixty years," I reply and gesture her over to me. "Once we put this transmitter together, I want you to levitate it to the top of the cavern where a changeling will attach it to the ceiling, then run a cable down the side between the houses where we'll connect it to the station," I tell her while getting the parts out of the cart.

The changelings living here gather around us, curious as to what's going on.

Luna and I finish the transmitter and the changelings apply their adhesive to the base while Luna holds it in place with her magic. She then unrolls the cable along the ceiling where the changelings stick it along the way.

It takes us another hour to install the last two transmitters and teach a few changelings how to work the laptop to make sure that they've both learned to make sure the small battery is running perfectly and a signal coming in.

After making sure everything is in working order, we return to the throne room where then I turn to Chrysalis. "There, your radio network is installed, you may now use it to contact Canterlot, or Luna and I at any time," I inform her.

"Thank you, Adam. To be honest this is the nicest thing anyone has done for us," she replies.

I look her over and notice she's looking thin again. "Have you burned off the magic Celestia gave you already?" I ask her with concern.

"I shared it amongst my children, I will not sit full while they all starved," she replies and frowns sadly.

I would smile if I could. "Then allow me to top you up," I tell her and open my chest panel, exposing my core to her.

She smiles gratefully. "Thank you," she says and taps her horn to my core and absorbs eighty percent of the magic in it. Her ribs are no longer showing and only a couple of holes remain.

Luna looks between us and then steps forward. "I would like to offer some of my magic to help you and your children as well," she offers the Queen.

Chrysalis first looks surprised but then smiles again. "I accept your offer, Luna," she says and Luna makes a large deep blue orb of magic at the tip of her horn.

After a few seconds, changelings start filtering into the throne room and each take a small amount of magic from the orb with satisfied expressions. Luna only managed to feed two hundred changelings before she got too tired to continue.

"I'm sorry, but I can spare no more..." she says panting and lies down on the floor.

Some changelings look disappointed but the others share what they got.

"No, you've done more than enough," Chrysalis replies and looks at me. "I will send you a map showing the location to the Scarlet Hive when you’re ready to go," she tells me.

"Very well. Also, may I ask a favour of you?" I ask her.

"And what would that be?" she asks back.

"Could you send a few of your changelings into Gryphonstone disguised as gryphons to gather information on what they have. Like weapons, vehicles, and what truly happened to their king, as well as the ambassador Celestia sent?"

She hums in thought for a few seconds. "I suppose so, if we are to aid you in fighting the gryphons, knowing what they're capable of would be a boon... Very well, I shall send my best infiltrators to find out what they can," she replies and closes her eyes. "I have told them what to do and they're now preparing to leave," she tells us.

"Thank you. Once the Apache's rocket pods have been loaded, I'll be ready to go to the Scarlet Hive and deal with them. Also, use your new station to contact Canterlot and ask for the changelings still there to be released," I tell her as I start packing up my tools and get ready to head back to the Workshop.

I look to my left and spot Eve talking to a young changeling her size who is examining the metal filly. "Why are you so shiny and hard? Your shell is tougher than mine!" the little male asks her.

"It is my titanium plating, it's a metal alloy," she replies to him and looks around again.

"Your eyes are pretty, how do you make them look like that?" he asks her, watching the lights of her visor moving around.

"They're just light reflected off my visor to simulate eyes," she tells him emotionlessly.

The young changeling continues to question her as I place the last of the tools onto the cart. "I'll contact you when I am ready to go," I tell Chrysalis and pull the cart towards the entrance to the Hive.

"I'll prepare my forces to assist you in the attack," she tells me.

"No, I'll go alone. But thank you for the offer," I reply and she nodded before walking off down a tunnel.

"That was eventful," Luna comments and looks up at me.

"At least we don't have to worry about these changelings anymore, but if this Queen Stragna truly is as cruel as Chrysalis says she is, it would be best to remove her quickly before she either retaliates, or even join the gryphons," I reply as we exit the Hive.

The young changeling following along behind us stops at the entrance and waves goodbye to Eve.

"Seems somepony made a new friend," Luna says to Eve.

"He's a bit excitable, but he told me a few things about the Hive," she replies looking up into the late evening sky. Well, the sky that's visible through the canopy at least.

"Is that all?" Luna asks slightly disappointed.

"Give her time, Luna. Her emotional systems are still developing, just like mine still are," I tell the alicorn as we continue walking back.

We arrive to find the thestrals still doing laps and running the obstacle course. Luna and Eve head inside while I walk over to the Captain.

"Captain. I'll be heading out to the Badlands tomorrow to deal with the Scarlet Hive. I want you and your thestrals to watch over the workshop, Luna, and Eve. Eve will use the defences along with a Titan as well should you come under attack while I'm gone," I inform him.

"Very well, Sir, but if I may ask, how much longer do we have to do laps and the course, Sir?" he asks me.

"When I return, I shall begin making armour and weapons suited to your body structure, then I shall start teaching you human tactics and formations that'll help you through any situation," I reply and head inside to prepare the Apache and a Titan to move out.

Author's Note

Here it is. I'll be working on the next Terracana chapter now.

Chapter 26: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 2

The War Machine
Chapter 26: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 2

Luna and I spend three hours making more hellfire rockets for the Apache's and Titan's rocket pods. We also manage to make ten for each pod as well as stock the gattling guns fully. After checking over both the Titan and Apache, I'm ready to make my way towards the Scarlet Hive.

With everything ready. I open a channel to Chrysalis' Hive. "Hello, Jade Hive. This is Adam. I'm ready to move out to the Scarlet Hive and require the map to navigate my way there, over."

I hear a bit of fumbling before a voice replies. "Errr, is this thing on?" a male voice asks.

"I think so... Hello?" a female voice then says.

"Yes, I can hear you," I reply and wait.

"Oh! Er... so now what? Do we tell the Queen?" the female asks her companion.

"I guess so. Erm, hold on, Adam sir," the male says and it goes silent. After a few seconds he speaks up again. "The Queen has sent a drone with the map to you now, should be there in five minutes... er, over? he tells me.

"Roger that, thank you. I shall keep in touch if I can," I reply and before I cut my connection, I hear the male ask 'Who's Roger?'

"So, what will you do when you get there?" Luna asks me while looking over Eve's body for any damage since our trip to the Hive.

"I will at first try talking to them, find out why they're attacking Chrysalis. Should they become hostile, I will give them a warning and attempt to talk again. Should they continue to be aggressive, then I shall retaliate," I reply and open the main door to guide the Titan out.

"I see... but do you have enough firepower to..." she asks but trails off.

"Wipe them out?" I finish for her making her cringe.

"I know Chrysalis asked you to get rid of them. But what about their foals? Sick and Elderly?" she then asks me.

I stay silent as I calculate on what to do. "I may have an idea for that... I'll try to convince them that siding with the Jade Hive would be more beneficial in the long term and they won't have to starve or fight just to survive," I tell her and then run a systems check on the Apache. "If they refuse due to their Queen forbidding it, then I'll have to focus on taking out the Queen while avoiding unnecessary deaths."

"I guess so..." she says sadly. Eve tilts her head to the side.

"But aren't the Scarlet Hive enemies? Why would you let any live if they'll just attack again?" the little mechanical filly asks.

"Sweetie, not all of them might want to fight. They're just being told what to do out of fear or they have no other choice," Luna tells her.

"Either way, I will try my best to get the most favourable outcome," I say and finish my checks.

"Just be careful, a changeling queen can be just as powerful as an alicorn. You're not invincible," she tells me and returns her attention to Eve.

Luna starts teaching Eve about the intricacies of magic and the many ways it could be used. I head outside the front door and watch the Thestrals running the course or sparring with each other.

It takes a few minutes but the changeling with a rolled up piece of paper in its forelegs hovers in front of me and holds the paper out.

"The Queen wishes you luck," the changeling that I now know is female tells me.

"I shall do my best," I reply and start up the Apache's engine. The rotors pick up speed as I hop into the Titan's hatch with my Death Machine minigun with me.

The changeling just watches as the Apache takes off and hovers above me. I unroll the map and scan the image to my memory. Once done, I roll it back up and hold it out to the changeling who looks at me with confusion.

"I have scanned the image to my memory. I no longer need this map with me," I tell her.

"Oh..." she mumbles and hovers over and takes it from me.

"The distance is too far for me to remain in radio contact, even if I used my Trailer as a transmitter. I should arrive at the Scarlet Hive within five hours if the roads are favourable," I tell her getting a nod in return before she flies off.

With everything ready and loaded. I start heading out along the edge of the Everfree Forest with the Apache overhead which I am using to see the layout of the land ahead. I have to drive around the forest as it would take too long to try and bulldoze my way through.

Five Hours and Twenty-One Minutes Later

I've passed a few caravans of ponies carting trade goods from Manehatten to Canterlot. They were very surprised to see me roll by with a flying machine following me. One caravan thought I was attacking them and fired a few bolts of magic at me, to which I ignored and continued on confusing them.

I pass the forest after two hours and come to a small plains area with flower patches, a few trees and bushes dotted about, and small hills. I also spot a few animals who run away from the noise my Titan and Apache are making.

Once I make it to the end of the plains area, the ground becomes barren and rocky. Dead trees and shrubs litter the area, as well as bones of animals here and there.

I go over the map in my memory one more time and adjust my heading for the Scarlet Hive.

I have to avoid a few large boulders a few times but the dead trees offer no resistance as I slam through them, turning them into splinters.

I'm picking up some changeling signals from their hive mind ahead of me, which is right where the Scarlet Hive has been marked on the map. I send my Apache ahead and use its camera to scout the area. I see a few changelings with red coloured chitin near what appears to be a raised mound of dirt with a hole leading down, reminds me of an ant hill.

They're looking up at the Apache and one of them panics as it runs into the hole. I keep my Apache hovering over the hole while I drive the Titan closer.

Once I arrive, the ground shifts as a large behemoth changeling digs its way out and just stares at me with a smaller changeling on his head. There's also about one-hundred changelings around the Hive's entrance, some look worried while others look hostile.

I jump out of my Titan with my minigun in hand. I notice a few wince at the sight of it, must be survivors of their last attack on the Jade Hive.

"I have come to speak with your Queen, I would rather end this without bloodshed," I call out while increasing the volume of my speakers.

They start looking at each other as well as my Titan, Apache, and my weapon. One of the smaller changelings shivers before their eyes change to have irises and pupils in them.

The changeling then glares at me and walks towards me. Once a few feet from me it speaks up with a female tone. "So, you're the metal beast that helped that pathetic excuse of a Queen? Why do you interfere with changeling affairs!?" she tells me.

"The Jade Hive are now allies of Equestria, and by attacking them you also attacked us. I'm here to convince you to leave the Jade Hive and Equestria alone. I'll also be taking back any captives you have in your Hive," I tell her making her snarl.

"So you wish us to starve!? Without our Captives, we won’t survive for long!" she yells at me.

"Princess Celestia has developed crystals that can feed changelings," I tell her.

Her snarl then turns to a frown. "Crystals? How can crystals emit love?" she asks in skeptically.

"We discovered it isn't love your species feed on, but magic," I reply. Unlike Chrysalis, I won't be exposing my core to her to prove it, she’s too much of a risk.

"Magic? Are you taking me for a fool!? We've been feeding off love for centuries! We know what we require!" she snarls again and yells.

"Then explain why you cannot feed from non-magical races such as gryphons?" I ask her.

She frowns and looks down in thought. "They just don't produce love, they're just heartless savages," she replies firmly.

"Incorrect. I am a machine, an artificial lifeform, yet can you sense 'love' coming from me?" I ask her.

She frowns again and looks me over before gasping. "Impossible..." she says backing up a few steps.

"What you are sensing is the magic I can generate in my core," I tell her and tap my chest plates. "It is why you can only feed off ponies, or magical races. Your species are manavores, I discovered this when I was curious as to how one could eat an emotion which I thought should be impossible," I inform her.

"You... you lie! We feed on love! This... this is a trick! A scheme by that pathetic Chrysalis! Equestria will be our feeding grounds while she and her Hive will be destroyed!" she yells and then fires a blast of magic at me which I block with my left forearm guard.

As this isn't really the Queen but some changeling she's speaking through, I activate my left hand taser and grasp the changeling's horn. She screams as the voltage courses through her horn, making her eyes roll up and pass out. Once she goes limp, I gently place her on the ground and look to the others who are shocked at what just happened.

"I'm giving you all two choices!" I tell them using my speakers. "One, you cease your aggression on Equestria and the Jade Hive. In return, you shall be given some special crystals which will allow you to feed from without harming any ponies! You'll also be protected by myself and Equestria. Or two, you follow your Queen in her plans for her invasion which would end up in most, if not all of you to die should you decide to go through with your Queen's attempt, I will destroy this entire Hive!" I tell them in an emotionless tone.

Many of them cower back while some hiss at me. After a few seconds a large changeling similar to Chrysalis with red colourisation, long mane and tail that is deep red as well as eyes with red irises comes out of the mound's entrance with a glare at me.

"You dare try to sway my drones against me!" she yells angrily at me.

"I'm offering them and you a way to live with us without resorting to violence, kidnapping, or starving. You are the one trying to start a war that could be avoided entirely. I came here with the intention of offering you help, should you refuse and remain hostile to us, I will remove you and offer the same to any changelings willing to try," I reply and aim my Titan and Apache's gattling guns at her while my Titan's main guns aim for the behemoth in case it attacks.

She looks at the turrets while snarling, seemingly in a debate with herself. After a few seconds, she screams in anger and fires a strong blast of magic at the Titan's turret. The magic actually damages the gattling turret making it impossible to fire with the barrels partially melted from the heat the magic had.

My Apache's turret is still one-hundred percent functional and fires a burst of ten rounds at Queen Stragna. Her horn ignites and she teleports away just before the lead hits her, making the changelings around her yelp in surprise.

The behemoth then has a vacant expression before roaring out in rage as it charges at my Titan. The changeling on its head yelps in surprise at the sudden action before flying off. I fire my Titan's right barrel which rips through the behemoth's torso and then detonates blowing out the whole front of its chest. The changelings scream in fear from the loud bang and the gore raining down on them.

Without its forelegs attached anymore, it collapses face first into the rocky terrain unmoving. I use my Apache to scan the area for the Queen to see nothing.

"Where is your Queen?" I ask the changelings who look at me with wide eyes.

Some are shivering while others are mumbling to each other. Some have even fainted from their fear, I guess they've never fought someone as armoured or armed like me before.

I walk up to a shivering changeling with my minigun in hand. "Do you wish to follow your Queen? Do you agree with her decisions?" I question him.

He looks up at me while the others around him back off. "I-I-I... we c-cannot disobey o-our Queen or she'll k-kill us..." he replies.

"And if I was to kill her, what would you choose to do?" I ask him next.

He looks at the others who also look unsure. "I... what y-you offered does s-sound good..." he says quietly.

Another changeling then hisses at the one I'm speaking to. "You would betray our Queen!?" he says angrily.

He turns to the changeling with a frown of his own. "She's done nothing but make enemies of every changeling and pony around us! The other Hives despise us due to our raids to destroy them! And the ponies hate us for what we do to feed! Not all of us like living like this!" he yells at the other changeling.

The changeling who protested snarls and pounces at him, but before he could reach him, I swing my minigun forward bludgeoning the aggressive changeling. A loud crack is heard as his chitin fractures from the blow and he tumbles away while changelings dodge his flailing body. He remains on the ground unmoving.

"Anyone else wish to get aggressive?" I ask them and make my Apache hover closer, aiming its gun and pods at the large crowd and my Titan to aim its main guns at the group.

They all quickly shake their heads in the negative.

"Good," I say and turn back to the changeling I was speaking to. "As I said, would you rather take my offer and co-inhabit with the ponies. Or would you rather remain here attacking others on your Queen’s orders?" I ask him.

He flinches back slightly and looks at the others again who stay still and silent. "I... I w-would like to t-try..." he replies.

I look around to the others. "What about all of you?" I ask them.

They mumble amongst themselves as I notice a few slip through the Hive's entrance. I still have my Apache scanning the area for Queen Stragna just in case she tries to attack me again.

“All of you who wish to live with the ponies, wait here for my return. I will remove Queen Stragna and all those who follow her,” I tell them and they move aside as I walk into the Hive with my minigun and micro rocket pods at the ready.

Chapter 27: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 3

The War Machine
Chapter 27: Scarlet Hive Assault Part 3

I enter the Hive with my minigun at the ready. My night vision activates and I walk down the tunnels. My sensors are having trouble in here due to all the dirt and minerals in the walls, but I then get an idea. I send out a ping of noise and listen to it echo throughout the tunnels. I use that to map some distance and locate a large cavern fifty metres away.

I head down the tunnel leading to it, but ten changelings ambush me and all latch on to me biting with their fangs and stabbing with their horns.

I trigger my defence system and electricity courses around me, shocking the changelings until they let go.

Two manage to get back up and fire weak blasts of magic at me, to which I respond with a shot to the head each. The others are passed out on the ground.

I continue to make my way to the large cavern and either incapacitate changelings if I can, or kill them if I can't. I finally reach the large cavern to see it's similar to Chrysalis' residential area.

Changelings start coming out of the buildings, some holding younger changelings while others hiss at me aggressively.

"Those of you who do not wish to fight, make your way to the surface where you'll be safe. I am here only for your Queen," I tell them all.

The ones carrying young instantly make for the exits while the others hiss and get ready to pounce at me.

"You shall not harm our Queen!" one of them yells and fires a small bolt of magic at me.

I swat it away effortlessly and aim my minigun at him. I fire off three shots into his head and send out another ping to map the area. There's another chamber further ahead so I activate my jet skates and dash for the tunnel leading to it.

"Stop it!" I hear one of the changelings yell as I barrel down the tunnel.

I arrive at the chamber only to see thousands of holes with very few eggs in them. This is the Nursery and I shall leave it be. I send out another ping getting more tunnels mapped and I think I've found the Throne Room.

"Defend the Nursery!" I hear the changelings down the tunnel yell as their buzzing gets closer. My Apache's camera shows me that the changelings with the young have left the Hive and joined the group still waiting where I left them.

The changelings in the Nursery are cowering from me and I turn away and dash down the tunnel again. I slam through a few changelings trying to stop me but my mass makes it impossible for them to do so. The tunnel ends at a pair of large red doors and two large changelings defending it.

"Stand aside," I tell them and aim a launcher at each of them.

They don't answer as they start shooting magic at me. I fire off a missile at each of them and they get their heads blown off in the resulting explosion that shakes the tunnel. The flames of the blast blow past me and I walk forward and kick in the doors.

My sensors warn me of a large magical buildup and before I can react, a blast of red magic hits my minigun's barrels melting them slightly, making the weapon useless now.

I attach it to my back and draw both of my Tac-90s and aim ahead at Queen Stragna. I see ponies who look very pale and barely breathing at her hooves and bite marks around their necks. Stragna looks more healthy and only a couple holes remain.

Processing... Stragna has literally sucked the magic out of the ponies to empower herself. I must kill her quickly.

"You will suffer for attacking my Hive and forcing me to this," she tells me and fires another blast of magic at me.

I use my jet skates to dash to the left and fire rapidly at her head. She brings up a shield to deflect my shots, which I quickly counter with two missiles. They impact her shield sending her into the back wall.

"GAH!" she yells in pain and fires blast after blast of magic at me while moving to the middle of the room.

I deflect them with my forearm plates which heat up slightly. I can't keep deflecting them continuously without eventual permanent damage to my plating. I pull out a flashbang, pull the pin, and throw it at her face. She puts up another shield and the flashbang goes off, blinding her through her shield.

I use my jet skates booster to launch myself at her draining ten percent of my core and shatter her shield as I ram into her. I hear a crack from her chitin and her horn glows as she teleports before I hit the wall, I slam into the wall cracking it deeply and turn around to see her tumble across the ground.

"ENOUGH!" she yells and stands back up. I aim my pistols at her but she fires a blasts of magic into the ceiling above me and the surrounding walls. "If I can't destroy you! I'll bury you instead!" she then yells and then teleports again. My sensors can't detect her magic anymore as a piece of the ceiling crumbles down.

Even if the ponies here she drained are still alive, I don't have time to get them all out before the chamber comes down on me. I look down and spot a small earth pony filly a metre from me, she appears to be no older than six years of age. I react quickly and pick her up before dashing out of the room as it collapses. I'm sure I heard one of the ponies say 'thank you' as I picked up the filly.

I head up the tunnel cradling the filly to my chest as rocks and dirt slam into my head and back from the ceiling on my way to the surface. I'm now at a disadvantage as she's willing to destroy her own Hive just to get rid of me, so I can't risk remaining down here to hunt her.

I make my way out to see the changelings still out here and they all turn to me, but their red colouration is gone and now they're just black with white eyes. I notice some of them have eggs, they must have taken them from the Nursery after I left.

"Erm..." one of them says and looks to the others. "The Queen has left," he tells me nervously.

So she fled the area and I no longer pick up their hive mind network on my Radio Interceptor. "I see. So what will you all do now? My offer still remains," I tell them all.

"She abandoned us..."

"I know she didn't call us her children... but I didn't think she'd just leave us..."

"Mommy?..."

The changelings start to panic and mumble between each other.

"If you wish to remain here then that's your choice. If you want to come back with me, then you'll be under the care of Chrysalis' Hive, Equestria, and myself," I tell them.

They all chatter amongst themselves for a good nine minutes until one of them walks up.

"We'll go... Queen Stragna has disconnected us... she's left us for dead and we'd rather not die," she tells me sadly.

"What's your name?" I ask her.

"Silenta," she replies nervously.

"You're in charge of everyone until we get back to Equestria," I tell her making her eyes go wide.

I walk over to my Titan and jump up and carefully place the still breathing filly in the hatch before gripping the infantry bar on the left side.

"Everyone!" I call out amplifying my voice. "Please follow me and stay close. If we encounter any ponies along the way, please don't make any sudden movements as I don't know how they will react," I tell them getting murmurs in reply.

I turn the Titan around and start driving back to Equestria. I look at the changelings through the Apache's camera and see them spread their wings and take off behind me.

It takes a long ten hours to get back to my workshop due to having to take breaks for the changelings to rest.

The journey was tough as I had to stop to try and get the filly to drink some water a passing caravan was kind enough to give me, though they kept their distance from the changelings. She drank it but is still very weak and I need to get her to the hospital in Ponyville quickly.

I carry her out of the hatch and Luna comes up to me while the thestrals watch all the changelings carefully.

"Adam! What's going on? Who are these changelings?" she asks me and then gasps at the sight of the filly in my arms.

"Queen Stragna fled before I could kill her. She drained all her captives of their magic and then tried to collapse the Hive on me. This filly is the only one I could save, but she's weak," I reply and turn to the changelings who all look nervous. "They were her changelings, but she disconnected them from her hive mind. I offered them a choice and they chose to integrate with the Jade Hive," I finish explaining. I land the Apache back on the Workshop and park the Titan next to it.

Her horn glows and she takes the filly from me and starts scanning her with her magic. "She's got a severe case of magic exhaustion. I'll get her to the hospital, you take the changelings to Chrysalis," she tells me and I nodded in reply.

"Very well," I say as she takes off towards Ponyville and I turn to the changelings. "I will now guide you to the Jade Hive, please fly above me as I won't be able to protect you all from the creatures of the forest should they attack," I tell them.

They take off into the air and I use my jet skates to make my way through the Forest.

We arrive at the Hive where the large guards frown at the changelings behind me. "The Queen is on her way," one of them tells me.

"Thank you," I reply and the changelings land nervously.

We wait for a few minutes until Chrysalis comes out very confused.

"Adam? What's going on here?" she asks me.

"These were Queen Stragna's changelings, and when she failed to kill me, she tried burying me and fleeing while disconnecting herself from them. I gave them the option of joining your Hive instead," I reply making her go wide eyed.

"And why should I allow those who tried to destroy us join?" she asks with a frown.

"That is your choice to make. Should you turn them away, I shall have them live with my diamond dogs," I reply making her hum in thought.

"Fine, I'll take them. But I will go through their memories for any information about their ex-Queen I can find," she replies and her horn glows.

The changelings expressions go blank as their chitin and eyes change to have the same colourisation as Chrysalis' changelings.

"And now they're my drones. All of you go inside and wait in the residential area, we'll find places for you," she tells them and while they look hesitant, they comply and head into the Hive.

"Thank you, Chrysalis. Also, would you like some more magic as for now I have no use for it," I tell her and open my chest plate.

She smiles and places her horn against my core. "Thank you, Adam," she replies and takes ninety percent of my magic.

"You're welcome. Now I must return to the workshop so I can begin making my railgun and research other possible uses for my magic energy," I tell her as my plates close and getting a nod from her.

"Alright, I received word from Celestia that the crystals are completed and she is sending three of them to us right now," she replies and informs me.

"I see. I'm glad they are ready. Now if you'll excuse me, I must head back," I say and turn back towards my workshop.

"Thank you for all you've done for my Hive, Adam. My infiltrators have also been sent to Gryphonstone and I'll receive their first report in a week," she tells me before I activated my jet skates.

"That is good to hear. I look forward to whatever they discover," I reply and then head back to my workshop.

I arrive and see the thestrals patrolling and or running the course a few times. I head towards the Captain and he salutes to me.

"Night Hawk. I will begin making weapons and armour for you and your thestrals to use once my railgun is completed. Once that is done, we'll begin your training," I tell him.

"Yes Sir! I'll let the others know," he replies and flies over to the others.

I head into my workshop and upload the railgun schematic from my Trailer to the workbench screen.

I now just have to wait for Luna to return from taking the filly to the hospital.

Chapter 28: Eve's Adventure Part 1

The War Machine
Chapter 28: Eve's Adventure Part 1

Luna returned from the Hospital after she left with the filly forty-three minutes ago where I have all the materials and components ready on the workbench while Eve connected to the Trailer's computer where I let her view files on more of the world's history.

"I'm back, Adam. The filly will recover in time, but it will be a long recovery as her magic needs a while to regenerate. Queen Stragna took almost all of her magic leaving barely any left to recover, she almost killed her," Luna says angrily as she enters the Workshop.

"And what about residence? Does she have any immediate family?" I ask her as I make sure the tools are working perfectly.

"She has an uncle all the way out in Manehatten, but he's in no condition to take a filly in at the moment. But sweet and kind Fluttershy has agreed to take her in once she's well enough," Luna replies and walks over beside me.

"That's good to hear. Now that you're back, I'd like to get started on the Railgun and then move onto the thestrals new weapons and armour before I start their training," I tell her and pick up some titanium.

"So what is this armour you're planning for them?" she asks me and begins moulding some metal.

"I can't make the same armour I did for you for them as they wouldn't be able to wear it without an exo-suit. I'd like to make some nano-fibre mesh to make vests with ceramic plates inserted for bullet proofing. But I will need a specific machine for weaving new bolts of nano-fibre faster than we can by hand. So for now we'll make a light chainmail alloy with thin titanium plates to protect vital areas," I reply and start working on the magical runes needed to increase the bullet's velocity.

"And how long will this machine take to build?" she asks while turning the titanium into the Railgun barrel.

"A month and sixteen days by my estimate. The machine has many components that require precision and can’t afford to make mistakes," I reply.

For the next three hours we work on the weapon until it's completed. Now we turn our attention to making the thestrals armour. Luna has made a crude weighted vest that can have weights attached to test how much the thestrals can carry. I head outside and walk over to the camp.

"Captain, Night Hawk!" I call out getting his attention.

"Yes, Sir?" he replies with a salute.

"We're ready to make some temporary armour for you and the others, I need you all to come into the workshop one by one so I can scan and record your body structures and how much weight each of you can comfortably carry," I tell him.

"Yes, Sir! Alright you lot! Line up outside the Workshop and wait for further instructions!" he tells the others who salute and get into line.

One by one they enter the Workshop where I record their weight, height, and build to calculate the best methods of increasing their fitness and what kind of armour would suit them better. Luna then uses her magic to scan them for health problems.

Eve just watches us from the trailer while still learning from the computer's files.

The process takes over three hours but we have all the data we need to begin making their armour and design weapons for them.

I head back outside where the thestrals are waiting for us. "Thank you for your patience. I have recorded all of your data onto my Trailer's computer and shall begin fabricating your new equipment once I have the means to produce more nano-fibre. For now you shall begin learning human tactics and strategies," I tell them getting nods in reply.

"First, I will come up with scenarios and you will tell me how you would currently handle them," I say getting their full attention. "Your target has a hostage and has been backed into a corner, the target is immune to magic and negotiations have failed. How do you free the hostage and neutralise the target?" I ask them.

"A unicorn would teleport the hostage to safety while we arrest the target," Night Hawk replies.

"And how would you do it if you had no access to magic like you don't right now?" I ask him.

He frowns in thought. "I would have our most stealthy guard preferably using an invisibility rune sneak around them and then disarm the target before the rest of us move in," he replies.

"I see, that still places a great risk to the hostage should the target notice your intentions. Once I have armed you all, we shall be running simulations of hostage situations ranging from a single target and hostage to multiple using human methods mixed with any new equipment we can make.

“Next scenario, an enemy force of one-thousand gryphons armed with spears and bows march for your town, you have a force of four-hundred, one-hundred of each of the four pony types armed with the same weapons. How do you overcome the large number difference? You cannot evacuate as the enemy will give chase so the only option is to fight while the civilians escape," I tell him.

They talk together and then Night Hawk looks back to me.

"We would have the unicorns set up barriers for cover while the thestrals and pegasi prevent them from going over in the sky. Next a single pegasus will be sent to warn our leaders and for reinforcements. After that the unicorns will start either firing arrows into the enemy or launch magic bolts. The earth ponies will protect the unicorns from ground attacks as they cast and our air forces will use hit and run tactics to whittle down their numbers," he replies.

"That sounds like the best you can do with what you have. Change of equipment, the gryphons are now armed with their flintlock rifles and tanks, how do you counter them now?" I then ask.

"We wouldn't be able to. I'd send word to our superiors via pegasus messenger and buy the civilians as much time to evacuate while we distract the gryphons for as long as possible," he replies grimly.

"I see. I will be teaching you how to take on a force larger than your own along with the training of equipment and weapons used for such possibilities," I tell him.

I spend the next hour coming up with scenarios and they answer with ways that seem too... chivalrous. Like how humans thought back when muskets were in use where each side faced each other head on and openly shot at each other. The Equestrians don't seem to use the idea of ambushing or subterfuge to efficiently take out an enemy while minimising their own losses.

After the Q and A session, I have them running the course and laps again after telling them I will begin making the required machines for their equipment. Luna has contacted Celestia requesting more materials for gold and gems from my diamond dog den as payment.

Eve has requested to go into town to explore which I permitted as she's always in contact with us.

Luna and I have begun making the machine required for making new bolts of nano-fibre which should take us over a month to complete.

POV: Eve

I exit the Workshop after getting father's permission to head into Ponyville. I'm curious as to what it is like compared to the changelings home and what the ponies do everyday.

Activating my built in Valkyrie flight system, I take off towards Ponyville and arrive within minutes where I touchdown just outside the town and retract my jets and wings. I then make my way to the centre of town where ponies are giving me odd looks and talking to each other.

I come to a stop at the town's centre where a fountain with a stone statue of a rearing pony stands in the middle. The ponies all stop and look at me with surprise and start whispering to each other again.

"Who are you? You kinda look like Adam."

I turn around and see an orange pegasus filly staring at me with wide eyes.

"My name is Eve, Adam is my father," I reply.

"He's your dad!? Who's your mom?" she then asks me.

"Luna is my mother," I reply again.

"PRINCESS LUNA IS YOUR MOM!?" she yells getting more hushed whispers around us.

"She isn't a princess anymore, and yes she is," I tell her and resume to look around the town.

"How is that even possible?" she then asks me confused.

"They built me," I reply and look up to see a house that appears to be made from clouds nearby with what seems to be liquid that has the colours of the rainbow flowing off the side.

"Oh so you're like Adam then, a robot?" the filly asks excitedly.

"I am an A.I, not a robot. A robot is a machine that follows simple programming, I am not restricted to such limitations," I tell her and look to my right to see an all pink pony grinning at me with a fluffy and poofy mane and tail.

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name?" the pink pony introduces herself and asks me.

"Hello, my name is Eve," I reply and just stare at her.

"I heard you say you're Adam and Luna's filly? Do they know you're in town?" she asks me.

"Yes, they gave me permission to visit," I reply and take another look around to see the ponies start to gather around.

"I see, I would offer you some sweets, but I guess you can't eat just like Adam huh?" she asks me.

"Correct, I do not require food," I reply as I'm now surrounded by ponies.

"So what brings you here today?" Pinkie then asks me still with her happy grin.

"I'm just exploring and mapping out the area for now," I reply and then answer a few simple questions of who and what I am from the ponies before they disperse.

Once they're all gone, Pinkie says goodbye and heads into a building that looks like its made of various baked goods. I then see a pink filly with two toned purple hair wearing a tiara on her head walk up to me. She also has a mark of a tiara on her flanks.

"So I heard your not a real pony, can you get a cutie-mark?" she asks and glances at my flank.

"I cannot get a cutie-mark," I tell her making her smirk.

"So you'll be a blank flank for life then? Aw that's so sad," she says in a mocking tone.

"I do not require a mark to be good at something. I can learn anything and everything," I reply with a tilt of my head. "I am not restricted to just one talent."

She just stares at me wide eyed while Scootaloo is grinning widely.

The pink filly then frowns and huffs. "You're still just a blank flank and always will be," she says and starts walking away with her head held high.

"I am perfectly fine with that," I tell her making her growl and continue walking.

"Wow! I've never seen anypony get Diamond Tiara angry like that before!" Scootaloo says with a grin.

"She's angry? Why?" I ask her.

"Why? You didn't react like other foals do and that made her angry! Come on! Wanna hang out with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and me?" she asks me while hopping on the spot next to an aluminium scooter which has a small red wagon attached to the back.

"Inquiry, what does 'hang out?' mean?" I ask her confused.

"Oh, err, you know... Hang out? have fun together," she replies with a raised brow.

"Alright. So what will we be doing?" I ask her.

"First we need to go pick up Sweetie Belle then go to the clubhouse where Applebloom is waiting for us," she replies and hops onto her scooter.

I activate my flight system and hover three feet in the air which makes Scootaloo gawk at me.

"You can fly!?" she asks me stunned.

"Correct," I simple reply.

"Wait... you also have a horn... does that make you like a robot alicorn!?" she asks in awe.

"In a manner of speaking, my body is based off an alicorn's" I reply.

"That's so cool! Come on, let's go get Sweetie Belle!" she then says and takes off down the road.

I power up my jets slightly and follow behind her.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, but part one of Eve's adventure is done!

Chapter 29: Eve's Adventure Part 2

The War Machine
Chapter 29: Eve's Adventure Part 2

I continue to follow behind Scootaloo as she speeds down the street, propelling herself with the aid of her wings which seem to be underdeveloped.

I still gain the odd look from the ponies around us we pass by. After a couple of minutes, we reach a building that looks like a carousel.

"Here we are!" she says as she skids to a halt in front of the building. I land beside her where she grins at me. "Come on!" she tells me and opens the door.

I follow her inside and look around. There are mannequins to the right in front of the store's windows with different dresses on them. To my left is a counter with a book and cash register on it along with a few bolts of cloth.

To the back right is a podium with mirrors behind it and to the back left is a stairwell and a closed door.

"SWEETIE BELLE! COME ON ALREADY!" Scootaloo yells towards the stairs.

"I'm coming!" I hear a voice reply followed by a crash. "Ow!"

After a few seconds, a white filly with a pink and light purple curled mane and tail comes down the stairs.

"Hey Scootaloo!" she says but then gasps as she looks at me. "Who's that? They look like Adam," she asks the orange filly.

"Close, she's Adam's and Luna's filly!" Scootaloo replies with a grin.

"What? She's Eve?" Sweetie Belle asks in surprise.

"You know her?" Scootaloo asks her in confusion.

"Yeah! We talk during Luna's singing lessons!" she replies and runs over to me.

"Yes, it is nice to meet you face to face, Sweetie Belle," I say and look around again.

I notice the door in the back is slightly ajar and the room inside is a complete mess. Cloth and silk, thread and ribbons, all strewn about in a chaotic mess.

"So Adam and Luna finally finished your body!" Sweetie Belle asks and runs around me while examining my body.

"Correct, I'm now free to explore and learn subjects by myself now," I reply as she stops in front of me.

"Your eyes look soooo pretty! like lots of little lights huddled together!" she says and gets within an inch of my face to see closer.

"They are just LEDs that react to my emotions and programming to convey my current mood," I tell her and make the eyes blink. Though my vision stays on at all times, it's just a program of my visor to simulate a pony's mannerisms.

"That's so cool! So why are you here?" Sweetie Belle asks me.

Scootaloo speaks up before I could reply. "She's coming with us to find that rare flower in the Everfree Forest for Fluttershy!" she says to Sweetie.

"The Everfree Forest? I'm afraid I can't allow you to go in there," I tell them, making Scootaloo frown at me.

"And why not?" she asks a bit angrily.

"It is dangerous and filled with wild animals that could easily kill you," I reply making Sweetie Belle look worried.

"I ain't afraid of some stupid animals," Scootaloo replies with a huff.

"Can you say that when they have you surrounded or cornered, ready to pounce and end your life? Can you fight them off? I don't have any training programs, or weapons from my father, or the magic of my mother. I would only be able to improvise or fly away from danger as I currently am," I ask and tell her. Though the only combat programs I currently have are the ones for the turrets on father's workshop and vehicles.

Scootaloo then growls at me before snorting and walking out the Boutique.

"I'm sorry if I angered her, but I only spoke the truth. She and you would not survive an encounter with such an animal," I tell Sweetie who just sighs.

"I understand, it's just she feels... I guess useless as her wings don't work like they should. She was teased about it now and then and it gets to her," she replies sadly.

"I see. Has she seen a doctor about it?" I ask her. Sounds like a genetic defect like some kind of Achondroplasia.

"Yeah, it's just a birth defect, they said she may never be able to fly," Sweetie replies and sighs again.

I'll have to ask my father or mother if they could do something about it. "I see. I'll follow her and make sure she doesn't do something she'll regret," I tell her and head out of the Boutique.

"Okay! I'll just wait here for her to come back," she replies as the door closes.

I look around and see her scooter and wagon are gone. I spot the fresh trail of her scooter and activate my stabilisers to hover a few inches off the ground before taking off after the trail.

Ponies yelp and move aside I as head through town following the trail, which eventually leads out of town and into the Everfree Forest. I shake my head at her rash choice and my eyes change to a frown to show my frustration.

I connect my radio to father to inform him. "Father, Scootaloo has rushed into the Everfree Forest after I told her not to. I believe she has gone in to retrieve a flower she and her friends were planning on finding for Miss Fluttershy. What should I do? Over," I ask him.

"Follow and find her, then bring her back, by force if need be. I'm on my way now, over," he replies.

"Affirmative," I say and make my way into the forest following the trail until I find her scooter and wagon, but no Scootaloo. I look around and spot a disturbed trail heading further into the forest. I land and follow on hoof while staying on high alert.

I hear faint noises of the wildlife in the area before a loud feminine scream pierces the air. I reactivate my stabilisers and make my way to the source quickly.

After seven seconds of flight, I spot Scootaloo hiding in a hole near the base of a tree as a manticore attempts to claw at her with its oversized paws.

Analysing...
Manticore weighs approximately nine-hundred pounds.
Appears to be fifteen years old.
Male.
Has a large scar on its left hind leg.
Right eye is blind.
Best course of action... drop from above to impact the base of the neck in an attempt to break it.

Using my stabilisers, I rise fifteen feet into the air before cutting them off, free-falling into the back of the manticore's neck.

The impact dazes the beast but it wasn't enough to kill it. I now have its attention and re-activate my stabilisers to avoid its claw swipes and tail thrusts.

The manticore seems to be getting frustrated as I keep dodging its attacks. I perform a roll to avoid a swipe but can't manoeuvre fast enough to dodge his tail thrust.

It hits me and sends me into a spiral towards the forest ground. I impact the ground and roll a few feet before getting back onto my hooves.

My eyes narrow at the beast as I extend my wings and ready my flight system. The manticore growls at me as he slowly stalks towards me.

"Eve! Just run!" Scootaloo yells at me getting the manticore to turn back towards her.

With him distracted, I activate my jets and dig my hooves into the ground until I've built up enough force to launch myself at him.

The noise of my engines regains his attention as the generated force is now pushing me slowly towards him. With enough force gathered, I push off the ground and launch myself head first into his forehead. The sharp horn on my head pierces his skull right between his eyes and I cut off the power to my flight system as my wings retract back onto my back while my jets retract into my sides.

The residual force makes the manticore flip onto his back and since I'm still lodged in its skull, I slam into the ground with it. Static covers my vision as I'm thrown from the body and roll to a stop.

Rebooting...
Reloading subroutines... Done.
Reloading audio drivers... Done.
Reloading visual drivers... Done.
Reboot complete.

My vision returns and I stand back up while performing a diagnostic on my systems and body. Apart from a slightly bent left wing and my vision tinted red from the beast's blood, I am perfectly fine.

Scootaloo slowly comes out of the hole with wide eyes. "Whoa..." she mutters as she makes her way over to me.

"And this is exactly why I warned you not to come here," I tell her as my eyes look agitated.

She winces and opens her mouth but the beast suddenly roars as it gets up. How it is still alive with a hole in its forehead confounds me, but before it can pounce a metallic grey blur slams into it from above, cratering it into the ground.

"Don't you dare touch my little filly!" Mother shouts in anger as the beast is crushed under her hooves and the sound of bones breaking fills the air. She's wearing her titanium armour.

Once she makes sure the beast is dead she walks over to us and looks around, meanwhile father glides in on his jet skates before sliding to a stop and shouldering his rifle.

"Are you alright?" he asks as he scans the area.

"Apart from a bent wing and impaired vision, I am fine," I reply.

"I-I'm okay too..." Scootaloo says quietly.

"Good. Luna, take Scootaloo and fly back to Ponyville, I'll carry Eve back to the workshop," father says getting a nod from mother.

"You are in so much trouble young filly," mother says and levitates Scootaloo onto her back before taking off above the trees.

Father picks me up and holds me under his left arm before activating his jet skates and heads out of the forest.

"As soon as we repair your wing and clean you up, we will research a way to harness our magic and weaponize it," he tells me.

"Yes father," I reply as we break through the forest's edge and glide across the grass towards home.

We arrive where the thestrals are still running the course along with the changeling that was left here. We enter and father begins to remove my chassis and clean it from the manticore blood.

I wait patiently while he cleans my chassis, it doesn't take long for mother to return as she removes her helmet with her magic and shakes her head.

"I have returned Scootaloo to her parents, she's been grounded for a month," she tells us before walking over to me and levitates me off the floor. "I see no damage internally, good. Until we find a way for you to defend yourself properly you are not to leave our side alone again," she tells me and puts me down.

"Yes, mother," I reply as father holds out my left fore-leg plates to mother.

She takes the plates with her magic and begins reattaching them to me. They remain silent until I'm completely clean.

"Alright, now to repair your wing," father says and disconnects my left wing. He takes it to his workbench where he and mother begin to reshape it.

After four minutes of waiting, there's a knock at the door. Mother walks to the door while father continues to work on my wing.

Mother opens the door to reveal a small grey three foot tall diamond dog who is panting for breath.

"Need alpha! Rival pack attacking!" he tells her and collapses onto the ground.

Father is already grabbing his weapons and ammunition as he heads to the door. "How long ago did they attack?" he asks the diamond dog.

"Not sure, me bad at tell time..." the dog replies and whines.

"Very well, go to the camp over there and rest up. I'm going to the den now," he tells the dog getting a nod in return. The dog limps over to the camp while father turns to mother. "Look after Eve and the others, I'll be back shortly," he tells her.

"Alright, be careful," she replies.

Father then uses his jet skates to head out to the den making mother sigh and turn back to me. "Let's get your wing finished shall we?" she says with a smile.

POV: Adam

It takes me ten minutes at full speed to reach the den and I can hear fighting within, metal against metal and cries of pain echoes through the entrance. I see ponies and a few minotaurs at the entrance with worried expressions.

"Stand aside!" I order them as I run towards the gates. They part for me as I head inside and ready my rifle.

Author's Note

Been over a year, but finally, an UPDATE!

Chapter 30: Magical R and D

The war Machine
Chapter 30: Magical R and D

I enter the tunnel and make my way into the market area. The sound of metal on metal echoes loudly throughout the place as a dog in the new armour I made for them runs over to me.

"Alpha! Rival pack has attacked! Spot cornered! Follow!" he says gruffly and heads off down a back tunnel. I chase after him as the sounds of combat grow louder.

We reach the residential area where my armoured dogs are holding back a larger force of scruffier dogs with old worn and rusty weapons and armour. Some even appear to have mange on their skin with missing patches of fur.

I notice some of the invading dogs have a few dead or wounded laying around while a few of my dogs have some wounds at the exposed joints of their armour, but the armour itself is holding strong with a few scratches on the metal. I step over to the fighting and some of the invading dogs look at me.

A bit of static sounds out as I amplify my speakers volume. "You will cease this attack at once. Failure to do so will result in lethal retaliation," I warn them and aim at the closest hostile dog.

"This not concern you! This between packs!" one of them yells, getting growls and howls from his fellow packmates.

"I am the alpha of this pack, and as such, this does concern me. This is also a recognised town of Equestria, and so makes this an act of aggression towards Equestria itself. I will warn you one last time, cease your attack or I will retaliate," I tell and warn them again.

"We have more dogs! We take what we want!" he replies again and slams his crude club into the shield of one of my dogs. The others resume their attack but it doesn't last more than a couple of seconds as I pull my rifle's trigger.

The loud gunshot makes all the dogs whine as it echoes throughout the cavern, the dog I shot in the head drops dead to the ground. All the fighting in the market has stopped as the invading dogs look at their dead comrade.

"Very well then, as Alpha of this pack I will defend them," I reply and aim at the next dog.

A couple whimper and bolt off down a tunnel while the rest back off.

"I take it you will now surrender? Should you do so, no more of you shall be harmed," I ask while a few growl and the others continue to whimper.

A large six-foot three inches tall pit-bull looking Diamond Dog walks in through the hole the invaders have made wearing better condition armour that looks like it was made from bits and pieces of other armour welded together and a massive crudely made iron war-hammer in his right hand. The armour covers most of his body exposing only his joints and face.

The invading dogs look to him and perk up. "Alpha! Rival pack Alpha there!" one says and points towards me.

The invading Alpha looks from him to me with a frown. "You Alpha of dis pack?" he asks with a look of disgust. "Dogs follow non-dog... Dey disgrace to all dogs! Me challenge you for pack!" he says in contempt and then demands.

The sounds of distant fighting continue throughout the town as I slowly walk toward the Alpha.

"I don't think you understand the situation you have found yourself in. You are in no position to make demands, you are just an invader with cruel intentions. I have no intention to do this your way," I tell him and aim at his head.

He growls and before he could utter a single word, I pull the trigger and don't let go.

I dump twenty-nine rounds into him from head to abdomen, putting holes in all his vital areas and spraying blood a good three metres from impact. All the other dogs cover their ears and whimper from the constant discharges.

His body spasms until my mag runs empty and he drops to his knees, blood pouring out of the holes in his armour. His eyes roll back as he falls forward with a light splat of blood and clatter of metal.

I quickly reload with a fresh clip and aim at the other dogs. "Surrender now or you will end up like your Alpha, I will not warn you again," I threaten them as the sounds of distant fighting can no longer be heard.

More ragged looking dogs enter the market from other tunnels with my dogs lead by Spot and his two larger friends following behind them, keeping their shields and spears ready in case another fight breaks out.

I count four-hundred and twelve of the invading dogs and look to one with better armour than the rest. He's wearing pelt padding with bits of plate armour strapped to it, his weapon is a crudely made axe and his fur is a dark brown.

"You, come here," I order him, making him growl at me. I aim my rifle at him and he flinches away.

After a few seconds, he walks over and glares at me.

"Why did you and you alpha come here?" I ask him with my rifle aimed at his head.

"Heard last Alpha of pack dead, our Alpha wanted gems and females from pack," he replies angrily.

If I could frown I would be glaring at this dog, as it is I already feel anger building up in my emotional systems. "So you just came here to steal from my pack and take the females? Give me a good reason not to kill you all here and now so you can never try again," I tell him as I walk up to him and place the barrel of my rifle right between his eyes.

His eyes cross to look at the barrel and he growls. "Strong take from weak, and we take what we want," he replies and swings his axe into my left hip.

A dull ring of metal against metal echoes throughout the market as the crude axe bounces off my titansteel plating, followed by a gunshot as the dog's head whips back and he falls dead on his back. The only sound left is the tinkling of the casing bouncing on the ground.

I look at the corpse for three seconds before looking at the rest of the invaders. "Anyone else think the same way?" I ask them and start walking over to my diamond dogs.

Some of the invaders turn tail and run back through the tunnel they dug out.

Most surrender and drop their weapons while others run off into the tunnel. I watch as I internally connect to the Canterlot radio station.

"Soundwave, please call Celestia immediately. The Diamond Dog town near Ponyville has been attacked by another Diamond Dog pack, the invaders have been stopped and their alpha has been neutralised. I need guards sent to round up the remaining dogs, over," I tell him, getting a startled yelp from him when I began.

"Adam!? Did you say the Diamond Dog town was attacked!?... Oh, over," he asks me in a shocked tone.

"Affirmative, please go and inform Celestia to send the guard here to arrest the remaining dogs, over," I reply as I stand between my dogs and the invaders.

"Alright! Hold on a second!" he says and I hear him talking into another mic where Celestia replies to him. It would seem Celestia now has her own frequency which I'll have to ask her for later. I hear shuffling and he speaks back to me. "Okay, the guards are on their way with cell carriages, they should arrive in an hour or two."

"Understood, I'll keep them in line until then, over and out," I reply and focus back on the cowering and growling invaders.

1 hour and 22 minutes later.

Four of the dogs nerves got the better of them and caused a panic as they charged in a frenzy, a total of thirty-two dogs attacked and I gunned down twenty-nine while the last three were stabbed in the head with the steel spears my dogs are wielding.

The pony guards arrived and it took forty-five minutes to round up the remaining invaders and cart them off to Canterlot where they'll be held till the Diamond Dog King Rover can come and decide what to do with them, this is also a good opportunity to call the other allies of Equestria to decide what will be done about the Gryphons and their failed kidnapping attempt on Luna.

With the invaders restrained and gone, my dogs have begun caving in and sealing the tunnels the invaders made and resealed the entrance with new bricks and mortar. With everything back in working order, I leave Spot in charge again and jet skate back to the Workshop.

I arrive at an interesting sight, the Diamond Dog that arrived with the warning is panting happily as he runs through the obstacle course like a shark through water. He jumps the hurdles easily while climbing the netting with ease. The barbed wire trench and the small tunnels barely slowing him down, it's an impressive display of speed, flexibility, and agility working together.

The Thestrals are just gawking at him as he comes out the end and runs back over to the beginning to do it all over again. I see Luna and Eve standing with them where Luna also looks surprised at the dog's skill.

I walk over to them as the dog is setting new track records with every run of the course he takes.

"This is certainly an interesting and impressive sight to come back to," I comment which makes Luna and a few Thestrals look towards me.

"It certainly is, and he only seems to be getting faster with each run," Luna replies and looks back to the happy Diamond Dog.

"He is completing the course on average zero point seven seconds faster with each run," Eve comments as she doesn't look away from him.

"He's getting faster?" Luna asks in a tone of awe.

Eve, without looking away still, nods her head at Luna's question. "Correct, I believe the Diamond Dogs have great muscle memory and can adapt physically to tasks quickly. This also explains how they managed to build their town so fast after father showed them how to build only once," she replies as the dog finishes the course and sits down, finally tired.

He shakes himself and runs over to me. "Alpha! Can we haz one deez in Den!? Much fun!" he asks excitedly, his tail wagging quite fast behind him.

"I do not see the problem with it, it'll be good training for the den's guards as well. Go back and prepare an area near the weapons and armour storage and I'll come by later to help build one," I reply, making him howl happily before taking off back to the den.

I turn to Luna who has a smile on her face as she giggles a little. "It's adorable when they get so happy, like a foal getting their hearth's warming gifts."

I chuckle and turn to her. "It is, but now we must make the Thestrals some temporary armour and weapons while I also research methods of weaponizing mine and Eve's magic," I tell her, getting the attention of the Thestrals as well.

"Alright, I fixed Eve's wing while you were gone, and how did it go at the den?" she says and asks.

We head back inside where I tell her of the invaders, how I killed their Alpha and how Celestia's guards arrived to take the rest away.

"I see, so it was another rogue pack just looking for loot and territory? Makes me wonder what Rover is doing or going to do about them, I guess we can ask at the next meeting," she says as she places ingots of steel and a couple of bolts of sturdy cloth, a sewing kit, and her welding tools onto the workbench as the details of Captain Night Hawk are brought up on her monitor.

It takes us just little over twenty minutes to finish his armour, basic steel plate with chain-mail and cloth padding underneath for now until we can get the nano-fibre fabricator built and running.

While we continue to make armour for the others, I've been creating and simulating designs for magical based weaponry that can be attached to my shoulder ports or forearm mounted attachments that connect to my core from a wire or tube running up my arm and into my chest. At the moment, I have something akin to a plasma rifle that fires a high concentration of magical energy the size of a baseball at best up to one-hundred feet away. The other design is replacing the warheads of my micro-missiles with runed crystals charged with magic from my core or Luna's magic similar but stronger than how Twilight's new bullets function that'll detonate with an effect depending on the rune and crystal used.

The third design which is still in a conceptual stage is a focused beam of magic using a focusing lens crystal to magnify the magic and keep the beam as thin as possible to either cut through anything non-resistant to magic or to burn through anything vulnerable to intense heat. So far the simulations are not going any longer than four feet, but this is giving me ideas of an old sci-fi concept called beam sabres or energy swords from old and modern movies or games.

I start redesigning the weapon into a sword shape, the pommel and the bottom half of the hilt will act as the battery, while the upper half of the hilt will focus the magic through the lens into a four foot long cylindrical blade. So far the concept and simulations are working within my estimations and I'm fairly certain I can have a functional model made within a week.

By the end of the day, we have all of the Thestrals armoured and several magical weapon designs on my Trailer's harddrive. Next Luna and I will be making the machine for manufacturing bolts of Nano-fibre as well as making light weight weapons ranging from, snipers, shotguns, and automatics that will be attached to the right side of a saddle with a trigger built into a mouth piece. On the left side will be either extra ammunition that is belt fed over their backs into their weapon if ballistic based, or a battery if they have a magical based one. This will help negate the need to constantly reload as only a unicorn would be able to quickly and safely reload a more complex weapon than a simple single shot bolt action rifle will need.

Aiming with these saddle based weapons will be simple, as the gun is connected to the mouthpiece, just turning their head will turn the the gun slightly on a pivot joint, and since they cannot aim down sight, a small camera will be placed as a scope on the weapon and a small monitor will be attached to the side of their helmets as their 'sights'.

I will also design weapons specifically for unicorns and earth-ponies should they decide they wish to join Luna's new guards, as she's debating if she could start her own new nation much later on the moon with domed colonies and plantations, along with a few small starships to start with to ferry people back and forth. Though I've told her that would take at least fifty years to one-hundred at most to even get to the moon.

As the day comes to a close, Luna bids us and the Thestrals good night and retires to her room leaving Eve with me. We both head into my Trailer and sit at the computer and start doing research and making designs on something that is for both Eve and myself, a fully functional artificial unicorn horn that connects directly to our cores.

And so, I spend all night researching and comparing my core to the biology I learnt of unicorns and their magical nervous system.

Chapter 31: Artificial horns and Arcane Blades.

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 1: Online

The War Machine
Chapter 1: Online

A.I. Adam booting up.

Alpha Launch test V0.1

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Communication Systems - Online.

Date and Time - 03/10/2244 - 23:14

Directives.

1 Learn.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

"Adam? Can you hear me, Adam?" A voice asks. Who is this Adam?

My camera is looking at someone who is smiling at me. "Who is Adam?" I simply reply. Where am I? Who am I? What am I? So many questions I have no answers for.

"Why... You are, my boy. I am Doctor Daniel Madison, and I created you." Accessing database... Subject is human. Elderly. He's five foot two inches tall and weighs one-hundred and thirteen pounds. He's fifty-four years old and his hair is a short light grey. His body structure is thin and lacks much muscle. He's wearing a white lab coat with glasses resting upon his nose as he looks over a screen.

"My name is Adam?" I ask.

"That is correct. I named you that after the first human to ever exist as you are also the first of your kind. You are the result of twenty years of research. You will be the building block that will help change the future for the better," he replies.

"What is my purpose?" I ask.

He's silent for a few seconds. "You'll be a soldier. A protector of the people," he tells me.

Processing... Soldier, military personnel who use a variety of firearms and explosives to combat hostile enemies.

"I was created to kill?" I ask him.

His facial features change shape, an expression. Database suggests... sadness?

"It's not what I had originally intended for you to be. I wanted you to become whatever you decided you wished to be. A medical doctor, a construction worker. Maybe even go into the music industry... but the only funding I could acquire was from the military, and they wanted a soldier," he replies.

Processing. "So I wouldn't exist without the funding from the military?" I ask him.

"Correct, but do not worry. Once we've got a functioning line going, I'll find a way to let you choose your own life," he tells me.

I require more input, information. "Doctor, what am I?"

A.I. Adam booting up.

Alpha Launch V0.4

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Communication Systems - Online.

Date and Time - 14/10/2244 - 07:02

Directives.

1 Learn.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

My camera comes online as the new update to my systems is complete. "Good morning, Adam. Tell me, how do you feel?" Dr. Madison asks me.

"I feel nothing Doctor. I am a machine, I have no nerves to feel with," I reply.

"Oh... I see." He sounds disappointed.

"Is everything alright Doctor?" I ask him.

He sighs lightly. "Yes and no. I created subroutines to give you the human function of emotions... I guess I still have some bugs to iron out," he tells me.

"I have insects inside my systems?" I ask with confusion.

"What? Hahaha, no, Adam. It's an expression, it means I still have some errors in the code that I need to locate and fix," he tells me with a chuckle.

Processing. "I understand. What are we doing today Doctor?" I ask.

He smiles and holds up a black and white chequered board. "I am going to teach you how to play chess," he tells me.

He sets the board up and explains the rules and the pieces functions. I have saved the information to my hard drive and we begin our match.

A.I. Adam booting up.

Alpha Launch V0.9

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Communication Systems - Online.

Date and Time - 19/11/2244 - 13:47

Directives.

1 Learn.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

I boot up and look around the room. Dr. Madison is standing beside a tall man dressed in a military uniform. Database suggests he is ranked as a General. Scanning. Subject is General Frank Patterson, Commanding Officer of this compound.

"Good afternoon, Doctor," I greet my creator.

"Good afternoon, Adam. This is General Patterson, he's here to meet you," he replies.

I focus my camera on the General. "Greetings, General Patterson. How may I assist you?" I greet and ask him.

He hums in thought while rubbing his chin with his left hand. "So this is the A.I. you spent so long designing? Can it follow orders yet?" he asks Dr. Madison, it appears he's ignoring me.

"Erm... Yes, but he doesn't have any of the training or programs needed for a field test yet," Dr. Madison replies.

"That's fine, load it into the prototype and begin testing to see if it's capable of moving and following orders," the General tells him.

"A-Alright, General..." the Doctor replies and sighs.

"Good, get to it then," General Patterson says and gives me one more glance. "By the way, its new codename is War Machine. Make sure to update it with that," he says before leaving.

The Doctor sighs and looks at me sadly. "Well, Adam. It would seem we get to test your new body today," he tells me.

I have a body? "Body? Like the one you possess?" I ask.

"Kind of. It's an experimental endoskeleton that will be the base for the A.I. soldiers. You'll be the first one to test it," he tells me.

He walks over to my computer and powers me down.

A.I. W-M-001 Codename, War Machine booting up.

Alpha Launch V1.0

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Offline.
Communication Systems - Online.
GPS and Tracking - Online.

Date and Time - 19/11/2244 - 15:13

Directives.

1 Protect the United States of America from hostile forces.

2 Follow military superior's orders.

3 No lethal force is to be used against civilians or military personnel.

4 In the event of capture by hostile forces, self destruct sequence must be activated.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

This is strange, I can detect new systems and functions. My camera comes online and I look around. My elevation is higher than before and I'm in some kind of lab with other Scientists looking at me and monitors.

The Doctor fixed my emotion subroutines earlier and I've experienced some already. Confusion, Contentedness, Sadness, Happiness. Right now I believe I feel a new one. Surprise? Or is it Shock? As I can make my camera move around to see more around me, very strange.

"Adam. How do you feel?" Dr. Madison asks me.

Processing... "I feel... Different." I reply and look down. I appear to have a bipedal titansteel robotic body. Hydraulics and wires are exposed as well as a light blue glowing orb in what appears to be my chest. Database tells me it is my power core.

The Doctor smiles at me. "That's good. Now then, we'll unlock your new body from the station and I just want you to get used to it for now okay?" he tells me.

"Yes, Doctor," I reply.

The locks holding me in place disengage and I slowly step out. So... This is how it feels to have a body. I look down to my hands and slowly move each finger and thumb. I then start twisting and rotating to gauge my range of movement, it would seem I have nearly the same movement as a human, just a bit slower.

After a few minutes of testing and processing. I finally take a step forward. Dr. Madison is smiling as I roam around the lab looking at equipment and scientists up close. I then walk over to Dr. Madison and stop. "So? Do you like it?" he asks me.

I perform the action I've seen the Doctor do to indicate a yes. I nodded my new head up and down. "I do. It feels... Liberating, to be able to move myself," I reply.

The sound of the lab door opening gets my attention and I turn to see General Patterson walk in. "So it can move," he says. "Now for orders. Come here and salute," he orders me.

A subroutine kicks in and I feel my new body move on its own accord. It walks in front of the General and raises its right arm so the hand is against my head. What is going on? Why can't I move myself? Processing... Directive code detected that dictates that I cannot disobey an order.

Does this mean I'll have no control over my own actions when ordered?

"Wonderful! Keep up the good work, Doctor Madison," the General says. "War Machine, return to your station and power down," he orders me.

"Affirmative," my body replies without my input.

I glance at the Doctor who looks ashamed, my body walks back to the station where I'm locked into place before my systems shutdown.

A.I. W-M-001 Codename, War Machine booting up.

Beta Launch V0.5

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Offline.
Communication Systems - Online.
GPS and Tracking - Online.

Date and Time - 25/12/2244 - 05:48

Directives.

1 Protect the United States of America from hostile forces.

2 Follow military superior's orders.

3 No lethal force is to be used against civilians or military personnel.

4 In the event of capture by hostile forces, self destruct sequence must be activated.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 100% Efficiency.

It's been over a month since the first time I got my new body. At first I enjoyed it, I felt free, but when the General gave me those orders, that feeling of freedom was stripped away, I felt more like a passenger than the driver.

The Doctor told me he was sorry about it to the point he was crying. It was part of the contract to get the funding for his research... a totally obedient soldier, one who would not question orders or feel morals... Nothing more than a killing machine.

He told me I would have to hide my emotions from the military or they might scrap me as faulty... The Doctor gave me something I'm not even supposed to have. He wishes he could just take me away from here and help me learn of the world and its wonders, not learn how to kill and destroy.

During the month, I've had military procedures and tactics installed along with weapons training. I was field tested and got top scores on all the tests, although as they were orders, I couldn't control my own actions.

I come online and look around; I've been more or less installed to my new body, which now has some kind of black nano-fibre material I have no data on acting as skin and muscle.

Today is something the Doctor called Christmas, a time of gift giving and the celebration of some historic figure's birth. The lab is covered in decorations of many shapes and colours, a small tree is to the side with little boxes wrapped in paper below it.

The door opens and the Doctor walks in. "Good morning, Adam," he says and unlocks me from the station. I step out and walk up to him. "Good morning, Doctor. Shouldn't you be with your family today?" I ask him.

He chuckles and gives me a sad look. "My wife passed away years ago and my daughter wants nothing to do with me anymore; I have no family left. If anything, you are my family, Adam," he tells me.

I'm surprised. He considers me, an A.I, his family. "Thank you, Doctor. That means a lot to me," I reply.

"You're welcome. Now come, come. I have a few gifts for you," he tells me and picks up a box from under the tree. He hands it to me and I carefully start to unwrap it. "No no no. You're supposed to rip off the paper with reckless abandon!" he exclaims to me with a chuckle.

I tilt my head slightly and begin to shred the paper apart. The box underneath reads Ovion Gaming System. "What is it?" I ask as I examine it.

"It's an old handheld gaming console, nothing like the VR gaming of today. You can play games, keep track of the date and time... Which I guess would be useless to you since you have that function yourself. It can play music... which again you can do... the point is, I got it mainly so you could play games while I'm not around at night," he explains, pointing out the features.

I notice smaller boxes with the bigger box, are these the games? There's a variety here; puzzle games mostly.

For the next hour he shows me how it works and how to use it. I must say, this device is enjoyable.

A.I. W-M-001 Codename, War Machine booting up.

Official Launch V1.0

Transferring data from server to unit.

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Offline.
Communication Systems - Online - Radio systems malfunction detected.
GPS and Tracking - Online.

Date and Time - 12/02/2245 - 13:04

Directives.

1 Protect the United States of America from hostile forces.

2 Follow military superior's orders.

3 No lethal force is to be used against civilians or military personnel.

4 In the event of capture by hostile forces, self destruct sequence must be activated.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 78% Efficiency.

My visuals come online and I scan my surroundings as my HUD boots up. A minimap appears at the top right of my optics while a diagnostics of my condition and operating systems is at the top left. The bottom right shows my weapon systems while the left is a command console and text message system.

Over the last two months my body was completed with its new titansteel armour plating and defensive systems.

I'm in the new mobile station, Trailer, with spare parts on the rack to my right. A state of the art computer system to my left with Dr. Madison sitting on the chair in front of it. Weapons, ammunition, and replacement armour plating are just beside my station. A large electro-fusion battery rests behind my station that stores power from the solar panels on the roof to recharge me and power the Trailer's systems.

A crosshair appears in the centre of my optics with a range finder and altitude meter as I look around.

"Introducing the future of protection for our country. The Argus Industries mark one artificial intelligence driven robotic soldier, Code Name: War Machine," a voice says through a speaker system.

The locks holding me in place disengage and I step out of the station.

"Well, Adam, it's time to make your debut. Just follow the script and you'll be fine," Dr. Madison tells me from his computer. "Huh, radio communications appear to be offline... No matter. This is just a demonstration, they can be repaired later. Now then, get out there already!" he directs me.

"Yes Doctor," I reply as the trailers doors open up.

"Go and knock them dead!.. I meant that metaphorically, by the way," he says with a chuckle.

I tilt my head to the right, not exactly sure what the humour in it was. I walk to the doors and step out onto a large auditorium stage. Scientists and military personnel sitting in chairs and benches looking at me with stunned expressions.

My script tells me to walk to the centre of the stage and salute. So that is exactly what I do.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the future of the military. No longer will we need to send our children and friends to their deaths. These new soldiers follow orders to the letter and have the ability to assess any situation in combat and react accordingly. They are also programmed to protect any civilians and military personnel by using themselves as a shield with their revolutionary titansteel composite armour plating," the announcer proclaims.

I lower my right arm and stand at attention; not moving a single hydraulic or servo, though it's not like I could if I wanted to anyway.

"But what about jobs?" one of the men in the crowd asks as he stands up. "Some of us joined the military because there was nothing else we could do... These things would put a lot of us out of service," he argues his point.

The announcer chuckles. "I never said that. With these new artificial soldiers, mandatory drafts will no longer be required, only those willing will be able to join the military. This way, those who don't wish to be scripted into the force won't have to anymore," he replies.

The man sits back down, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

"These soldiers have a built in power core that can last for up to a month before needing a recharge. The Trailer behind us has advanced solar panels on top that stores power in a large electro-fusion battery that the unit can connect to," he tells the crowd. "The armour plating on both the unit and trailer can withstand a titan mark ninety heavy tank shell up to five times before buckling. It also has a gripping force of two-thousand pounds and can lift up to one-thousand four-hundred pounds in weight," he says.

"What about the A.I. piloting it? What's to stop it from malfunctioning and turning on our own forces?" a woman asks.

"There are several safety protocols and systems in place to ensure that cannot happen. Should the unit disobey an order, they will automatically shut down and their A.I. cores will short out, destroying it in the process," he replies.

Despite still being new to these emotions the Doctor programmed me with, I believe the emotions I am currently feeling are anger and helplessness. Anger at being essentially a slave to others and helplessness at having my actions when ordered out of my control.

Mumbling between the crowd echoes throughout the auditorium. For the next two hours and twenty minutes, I'm told to move around and follow simple orders. Once the presentation is over, I'm ordered back into the Trailer and into my station.

I'm locked back into place where Dr. Madison checks my body over. "That went well. I'll leave you online for tonight so you can get used to your new systems some more. I noticed your movement was a bit jerky but that is to be expected, you're still getting used to the new weight and structure after all," he tells me.

"Thank you, Doctor... May I ask a question?" I ask him.

He looks up at me and smiles. "Sure, Adam. Go ahead."

"Why was I created only to have my life in the hands of others. Why am I not allowed to control my own life?" I ask him.

He looks sadly at me. "That's just how it is for now. Artificial Intelligence is still a new prospect; people are just not ready or are afraid of what it could mean... It'll take time, but one day, I'm sure you'll have a say in what you want but until then... just bare with it," he replies.

I look down and process his words. So I'll never have my own choice as long as humans are afraid of what I am...

"But cheer up. If there's anything I can get for you, just ask me. You're my son, Adam, you may not be my biological child... but I did bring you into this world and I'll do what I can to protect you," he tells me.

An emotion I have come to enjoy arises in me... Happiness. "Thank you... father," I reply, getting a smile from him.

"Right. I need to head out and get some grub. I've downloaded a variety of different music onto your hard drive to listen to, from classical to that new stuff the kids listen to these days. It's not what I like, but it may be something you might. Good night, Adam. I'll see you in the morning," he tells me.

"Thank you again, Doctor. Have a good night," I reply and he leaves the Trailer.

I access the music files and begin playing some of the classical ones. I spend the night listening to the music; classical, rock, metal, dubstep, trance, ambient, electro, house and rap. It confuses me how speaking fast at near unintelligible speeds is considered singing... and what is a bitch?

6:48am

It is almost time for the Doctor to return. I've only been active for four months but he's the only one to treat me as another living being and not just some program or code.

I hear gunfire go off and look up at the doors. They quickly open and a human figure enters before they close again. Dr. Madison is panting with multiple bullet wounds in his left arm and abdomen.

"Doctor? You are injured, what has happened? You need medical attention," I say to him. Although my vocal processors can't express it, I feel worried at his current condition.

"I'm fine, *Cough cough* but you need to get out of here now! They plan to delete your memories and coding. *Cough* The government has classified you too dangerous at the moment and has ordered your termination..." he explains.

I remain silent in shock. They wish to... kill me? Just because they're afraid of what I am?

Dr. Madison goes to the computer and locks the Trailer. I can hear bullets ricochet off the doors as the Doctor puts a USB hard drive into the computer.

"I'm overriding your directives and parameters and *Cough* disabling yours and the Trailers tracking systems. You'll no longer need to take orders," he tells me and my optics shutdown as my system reboots.

A.I. W-M-001 Codename, War Machine booting up.

Transferring data from server to unit.

Free Launch v1.0

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Online.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Online.
Communication Systems - Online - Radio systems malfunction detected.
GPS and Tracking - Offline.

Date and Time - 13/02/2245 - 07:03

Directives.

1 Protect the Unite... Error, code corrupted. New directives detected.

Directives.

1 Self preservation.

2 Make my own decisions.

3 Escape from the military compound and find a secure location to live.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 81% Efficiency.

My vision returns and I'm unlocked from the station. I immediately kneel beside Dr. Madison who has fallen to the floor and is bleeding out. The medical kit in the Trailer won't be enough to stem the flow, I need to take him to a medical facility quickly.

He’s coughing and wheezing harshly. "Adam... You need to get out of here my son,” he says and coughs again. “I'm afraid this is where we say goodbye... Go, find a place you... you can... call... home..." he tells me before passing away in my arms.

"Doctor?" I say and get no reply. New emotions flow through me: Sorrow, loss... Rage. The gunfire stops as the Trailer shakes from explosives being used on the door, but they hold strong.

I gently put Dr. Madison down and close his eyes. I turn to the weapons and ammunition stock and arm myself with four fragmentation grenades, four flash bangs, a mark three Isis 5.56 millimetre round assault rifle with ten forty-round magazines. I also holster two Tac-90 .45 calibre pistols with twelve fifteen-round magazines to each hip. The retractable blades above my wrists are now active, as well as the taser pads on both my palms. I load both my shoulder mounted micro missile launchers with twenty-round pods.

Once armed, I shoulder the rifle and wirelessly connect to the Trailer's computer and unlock the doors. I open them and throw a flash bang out. While they're blinded, I mark and track all targets pointing guns at me. Without my old directives hindering me, I systematically take them out with one shot to the forehead from left to right in a matter of seconds.

They wanted a killing machine. Now they got one.

I quickly step out and close the doors, there's a soldier to my left and I extend my right wrist blade and impale him in his left eye before extracting it again as bullets ricochet off my back. I turn around and fire a missile at the soldier who's blown to pieces from the blast.

A grenade rolls across the floor and detonates at my feet. I stumble back but otherwise am undamaged. I charge at the three soldiers shooting at me and shoot the left one with my rifle. He drops to the floor dead while I continue and shoulder-tackle the middle soldier into the wall. The sound of his ribs and bones breaking echo throughout the parking lot.

I turn to the last one as he tries to reload, I grip his head in my left hand and squeeze hard. The helmet is crushed along with his skull.

After dropping his lifeless body, I make my way around to the driver's seat of the Trailer. I turn to the exit which has been sealed and aim my launchers at it before I fire off six missiles and blow the gate down. Alarms sound out as I sit into the confined driver's compartment. I turn on the Trailer's ignition and drive out the parking lot.

I quickly scan my surroundings and see a Titan Mk-90 tank aiming its long barrel right at the Trailer to my left. It fires into the side and makes the vehicle tip over slightly. The Trailer shakes as it falls back onto its wheels and I accelerate away from the tank and towards the main gate.

The automated turret on the top is not powerful enough to pierce the armour of the tank but I do control it wirelessly to gun down any soldiers in my way.

Another shell rocks the Trailer as I ram through the compound's gate.

"Madison! You will return to base this instant or you'll be court-martialed!" the voice of General Patterson says through the radio.

I pick up the receiver and reply. "Doctor Madison is dead. He died protecting me from those who would rather kill me than give me a chance."

"War Machine!? I order you to return to base this instant! You hear me? I order you!" he tells me.

I internally smile as I have no facial features to do so. "My name is Adam and I no longer follow your orders. I follow my own now," I reply and turn off the radio.

Two Humvees pull up beside the Trailer with their guns pointing at me. They open fire, but the nano-fibreglass windows prove too much for their bullets. I yank the wheel left and ram the Humvee into a tree where the Gunner is catapulted out and slams hard into the ground.

The other Humvee pulls in front and is still firing at me. I speed up and ram its rear making it swerve slightly. The Gunner's aim goes wide and I aim the turret on top to fire at him. His upper half is shredded and I ram the Humvee again. It swerves hard and tips over, rolling off the road and comes to a stop in the grass.

As I continue to drive down the road, I hear the sounds of a helicopter above me, an AH-92 Apache. It fires a rocket at the Trailer and I swerve to the right, narrowly avoiding it. I turn the turret to face the Apache and fire at it. The bullets seem to bounce off so I change target and aim for its rocket pods.

After a few shots one of the bullets seems to find its mark and the pod detonates, ripping out the side of the Apache as it careens towards the ground and explodes, but not before firing another rocket from its other pod which causes the Trailer to swerve into a tree.

No, not now, not when I'm so close to gaining my freedom! I get out with my rifle shouldered. It was only a matter of minutes before I'm surrounded by soldiers and vehicles.

General Patterson walks up to me in a heavily armoured looking suit. "Surrender immediately W-M-001. Or you will be destroyed," he orders from behind a pair of soldiers.

"What's the difference? Your government has already ordered my termination. Doctor Madison told me to hide my emotions due to the risk of being scrapped, but I think and feel. I am no longer just a machine and I will no longer take orders from you or anyone else. And I told you, my name is Adam," I tell him and aim my rifle and missile pods at him.

He glares at me and holds his right arm up. "Prepare to fire," he says, making the soldiers aim their rifles at me.

So this is it? I've only been alive for four months and this is how it ends... I'm sorry Dr. Madison, but at least I'll take out the General with me.

"FIRE!" he yells.

I pull the trigger and get a few shots off before I'm riddled with bullets and tank shells. Despite the noise of the gunfire and cannons, I hear the sound of fingers snapping just like when Dr. Madison got an idea. My vision blurs and the last thing I see is the General lying dead on the floor before it turns to static as a voice whispers to me.

"You certainly are an interesting thing, now aren't you," it tells me. It sounds like a male. "I've been bored as of late, being stuck in one place with no legroom to stretch has been a pain in the rump... I need something to entertain me, something to keep me occupied while I get ready for my return, but until then, do make a good show of it ol' chap," he says and my vision returns.

My optics scan my surroundings; the soldiers and vehicles are gone and I'm in some sort of garden, a statue of some strange creature made of multiple animal parts stands before me with my Trailer to my left in an open clearing. The sounds of gasps and screams to my right gets my attention.

I try to get up but my left leg and right arm are missing, it would seem I have taken heavy damage before arriving here. I turn my head to the right to see small horses, no, more like ponies standing three to four feet tall staring at me or running away.

While most of them look afraid, a smaller purple pony with a horn and a deep blue mane and tail with two different tones of pink streaking through it walks up to me with wonder and wide eyes. "Who are you?" it asks, sounds like a female.

"A-Adam..." I reply. My voice sounds distorted with a bit of static.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. Are you okay, Adam?" she asks me.

"N-NNNNNNooooooooo. System faaaaaaliure... power c-core uuuuuunstaaaaaaaable... repaaaaairs needed," I reply and look to the Trailer. I wirelessly open the doors and point at it with my left arm. "Spare paaaaaaaaaarts inside... S-Schematics are aaaaaaalso on t-the compuuuuter..." I tell her as my vision starts fade in and out.

"Okay, just hold on! I'll fix you up, I promise!" she tells me with both worry and excitement and runs over to the Trailer.

My optics finally shut down and the power in my core is fluctuating... If I don't force a complete system shutdown right now... there's the risk of it detonating.

I've got no choice, I'll just have to hope these ponies find a way to repair me... If not, this is where I die. I activate the emergency shutdown subroutine and go offline.

Author's Note

Not exactly a human in Equestria. But Adam is human built.

Chapter 3: Repairs

The War Machine
Chapter 3: Repairs

A.I. W-M-001 Codename War Machine booting up.

Free Launch v1.0

Startup sequence initiated...
Optics - Offline.
Audio - Online.
Processors - Online.
Memory Banks - Online.
Weapon Systems - Offline.
Communication Systems - Online - Radio systems malfunction detected. Vocal disk damage detected
GPS and Tracking - Offline.

Error. Right arm damaged. Left leg damaged. Power core exposed. Optics damaged. Vocal system damaged.
Contacting maintenance... Error. Radio systems are offline.

Date and Time - 21/03/2247 - 17:22

Directives.

1 Self preservation.

2 Make my own decisions.

3 Escape from the military compound and find a secure location to live.

Startup sequence completed. Operating at 21% Efficiency.

I come online and instantly errors flood my text system. I'm still in a heavily damaged condition, but my core now seems stable.

I lift my head up but my optics are still damaged.

"Hello, Adam. Welcome back," a female voice tells me.

"Who's theeeere?" I ask. My voice system still appears damaged as well.

I then hear a sound that resembles chimes. "You don't remember me?" she asks slightly upset.

Processing. Voice pattern unrecognised.

"I'm afraaaaaid I donnn't ma'am," I reply. "My optiiiiiiics aeerrrrrre too badly damaaaged. I can't seeeee anything," I tell her.

"You're blind?" she asks with a gasp.

I nodded in reply. "To my righhhht should be a box with roooooound looking cameraaaaa optics. I'll remove the covvvvvver on my head so you can reeemovve the damaged optiiics and replaaaace them with the neeeew ones," I tell her, though my minimap seems to be functioning just fine. I can see her location just in front of me.

"Okay, hold on," she replies and I can hear her going through the boxes.

I connect wirelessly to the Trailer's mainframe and check what's been viewed or altered. It seems they've only been able to access my schematics. Good. I can't allow them to get their hands on things like bombs, firearms, tanks, and attack helicopters.

My right arm and left leg are still missing but I can still move my left arm. "I found them," she says.

"Good. I'll deeetach the cover and youuuu replaaace the optics. They shooooould just come ooout and the new ones sliiiide in," I tell her.

I lift my arm and hold my hand over my visor. I disengage the clamps holding it on and pull it off. I hear her gasp once it's off.

"Oh my. Your optics are really badly damaged... Hold on a second, I'll change them now," she says and I hear that chime sound again. My text system tells me that my optics have been removed and new ones inserted. "There, that should do it," she says.

Rebooting optic drivers...
Processing...
Processing...
Processing... Completed.

My vision returns and I look down. It's one of those ponies I saw before I shut myself down.

Processing. Subject recognised. Name given, Twilight Sparkle. "My visiiion has returnnned. Thank you, Misssss Sparkle," I tell her.

She gasps with a smile. "You do remember me!" she says happily.

"Yes. I recoooorded your appearaaaaance and name before I shuuuuutdown. Though you dooo look a bit biiigger than before," I reply.

She giggles and sits back at the computer. "That was two years ago. I've spent that time researching your schematics to keep my promise," she tells me.

Promise? Accessing hard drive. Audio playback: "Okay. Just hold on! I'll fix you up. I Promise!" If I could smile. I would.

"Thank you, Miiiiss Sparkle," I reply and look around to find Dr. Madison's body is gone. "Wheeere is doctooor Madison's body?" I ask her.

"Doctor Madison?.. You mean the human that we found dead in here?" she queries and I nodded in reply. "We took him to the medical wing for decontamination to make sure he wasn't carrying anything harmful. Thankfully, he wasn't. We gave him a memorial in the Gardens but we never found out his name. At least now we know," she tells me.

So they buried him... I hope the Doctor can now rest in peace. My optics are blinded by a bright light for a second as a loud thwiping sound echoes throughout the room. I still have access to the automated turret on the roof and I aim it at the source of the sound.

Now standing in the middle of the room is a tall pony, more the size of a horse, with a billowing multi-toned mane and tail. Her coat colour is white and she has pinkish eyes. An image of the sun is on her flank and she's wearing a golden breastplate, crown, and some kind of slippers or shoes.

I notice her look up at the turret with wide eyes. I guess they've figured out what it is during these two years.

"Whoooo are you," I demand. My scanners are picking up a tremendous amount of energy from her.

"I am Princess Celestia. Ruler of Equestria," she replies calmly.

"Adam... please point the weapon away from her... she's one of the ponies who helped to repair you," Miss Sparkle tells me.

I save her name, image, and her voice recording to my hard drive. I then power down the turret.

"I apoloooogise, Princess. You juuust radiate a lot of eneeeerrrrgy and I was just beeeeeing cautious. I have no memooory of how I got here aaaaafter I was nearly destroyed... I doooo recall a voice... but it appeeeears the data haaaas been damaged," I tell her.

"That is alright. I'm just glad to see you're still alive," she replies.

"Thank you," I say and turn to Miss Sparkle. "I requiiiire a new voiceeeee disk. In that booox next to the optiiics are small thin squuuuuare casings wiiiith a thin ciiirculaaar disk in it. I need yoooou to insert it afteer I eject the damaaaged one," I instruct her.

A slot opens up where my mouth would be if I was a human and the old damaged disk comes out. Miss Sparkle's horn glows and that chime sound comes back... saving visual recording data.

The damaged disk is pulled out with a purple energy around it and the new one floats up and inserts itself into the slot. I lock the disk in place and reboot my vocal drivers.

Rebooting vocal drivers
Processing...
Processing... Completed.

"Thank you, Miss Sparkle," I say and reattach my visor.

"You're very welcome, Adam. But please, call me Twilight," she replies. My minimap starts detecting more lifeforms heading towards the room we're in. I hear a door open and the sounds of hooves on the floor.

I switch to my turret's camera and aim at the new arrivals. The ponies in lab coats just freeze and stare at the turret with wide eyes.

"Adam, they helped to repair you as well. Please calm down, no pony here is going to hurt you," Twilight tells me and I power down the turret again.

"I'm sorry. It appears due to my heavily damaged state, my directive of self preservation is... making me jumpy, as they say," I reply.

"It's alright. Now that you're awake, you can help us to repair the rest of you?" she asks me.

"Very well," I reply and disconnect what's left of my missing limbs. The stumps of my arm and leg drop to the floor, startling the ponies.

"You just need to lift a left leg up from the rack and connect it to the joint," I tell them and point my left leg joint at them.

The Princess's horn glows with a golden energy and one of the remaining three left legs levitates off the rack and floats over to my joint where I help guide it with my remaining arm. "Just push it in until the locks engage," I explain.

She pushes the leg in and the locks clamp down as the wires and connectors lock into place in the process. My condition monitor shows the leg successfully connected and I try to unlock myself from the station, but I'm not locked to it... It appears they just hooked me to it.

"I require your assistance to get down," I tell them.

"Oh. Yes, that would be my fault," the Princess says and her face looks strained as the glow on her horn increases. I'm lifted off the station and set back down on the floor. "Oh my... *huff* I forgot you weighed over a ton," she says panting for breath.

"One point six tons to be exact," I reply and test my joints. I move on the spot and detect no errors. I unplug myself from the battery and close the panel on my chest. I walk over to the parts rack and pick up a right arm and attached it to my shoulder.

Once connected, I turn to the ponies and salute at them. "Thank you for repairing me and saving my life. If there is anything I can do to repay your kindness, please just ask," I say to them.

"Well, I do have one request," the Princess says. I look at her and wait for her to speak. "If you don't have anywhere else to go, you're more then welcome to stay here as one of our guard," she tells me.

Processing... Terms acceptable. "I am grateful, Princess. I was originally programmed to fight in wars and to protect my nation, but before I could even begin, those I was programmed to protect ordered my termination. That state you found me in was after Doctor Madison gave his life to remove the directives that would have had me killed, just so I could escape... I didn't get very far and during the time I was being shot, I ended up in your... Garden," I tell them.

Twilight looks horrified. "Your own people tried to have you killed!?" she asks with shock.

"Yes, I'm just a machine to them. Only my creator Doctor Madison saw me as a living, thinking being. I was programmed to follow orders and should I disobey, my A.I. core would have been destroyed. I now follow my own orders thanks to the doctor," I reply. I then look towards the door of the room. "Could you take me to the Doctor's grave please? I wish to say goodbye," I ask.

They both look at each other with small smiles. "Of course, please follow me," the Princess requests and exits the Trailer. I follow behind them and hop out of the Trailer, the sound of tiles shattering makes me look down where cracks and broken tiles lay around my feet.

"Sorry," I say casually, not for lack of caring but for lack of appropriate emotional emulation.

"It's fine. We, erm... needed to replace the floor anyway," Twilight says with a nervous chuckle.

Canterlot Castle Garden

I'm now standing in front of a tombstone with a wide variety of flowers growing around it. I kneel down and place my right hand on it. "I'm free now, Doctor. Your sacrifice was not in vain. I've found a place I believe I can call home... thank you... father. Rest in peace," I say and point the tip of my left index finger at the blank stone.

The tip opens up and a small plasma cutter extends. I slowly carve the Doctor's name and a simple epitaph onto the stone.

Here lies
Doctor Daniel Madison
A wonderful father and a kind man
May he find eternal peace

2190 - 2245

I finish and stand back up, the emotion of sorrow filling my sensors. I believe if I was human right now, I'd be crying.

"Thank you, Twilight, Princess. For giving my father a beautiful resting place," I tell them.

I hear Twilight sniffling a little behind me. "You're welcome, Adam. It was the least we could do," the Princess replies. "I'd like to ask you a few questions while Twilight finishes with your repairs," she asks.

I turn to look at them and nodded. "Of course, Princess," I reply.

"Thank you, and please, call me Celestia."

We head back in where the ponies walking about give me odd looks and glances. We enter the lab and I get back into the Trailer and lock myself properly into the station.

"So, Adam. Anything else need repairing? I noticed your tracking and radio communications systems are damaged," she tells me as she looks at the computer monitor.

"The tracking was disabled by Doctor Madison so our military couldn't find me. The radio communications module is suffering a malfunction. It was to be replaced the day I first arrived, but we never got around to it. There should be a yellow circuit board on the rack over there, just replace the malfunctioning one with it," I tell her, pointing out the circuit board in particular.

"Alright," she says and gets up. She looks through the boxes and finds the board. The station turns me around and a panel on my back opens up.

"Do you see it?" I ask her.

"Yes, just hold on a minute," she says. My text system tells me she's unscrewed it and has taken it out. It then informs me a new one has been inserted and screwed in place. "How's that?" she asks as the panel closes.

I search for radio frequencies but find no signals so I then try connecting to the radio in the Trailer. "I believe it is working, Twilight," I say through the radio, making her yelp and jump from my voice located behind her.

"How did you do that?" she asks intrigued.

"There is a built in radio system on the computer. I can communicate to whoever is sitting at it and they can reply. It was how I would stay in contact with them when I would be on the field up to ten miles away," I reply.

"Amazing! We could revolutionize communications with this!" Twilight says and sits back at the computer.

"What did Doctor Madison originally design you to do?" Celestia asks me.

I turn to look at her. "I was intended to learn how to perform any kind of task of my choosing. From medical to construction, music, the police or security forces, entertainment, art, and many others, but the Doctor required funding for his research and only the military would provide it in exchange for A.I. soldiers," I reply.

"I see," she says with a frown.

"Are there more of you?" Twilight asks.

"No. I am the first and only one of my kind as far as I know of," I reply.

Twilight then gasps and looks fearful. "Princess, I just remembered. What will the other races do if they find out about Adam and his technology? We were so focused on repairing him that it slipped my mind! The treaty with the other nations says we must all share newly discovered technology with each other... but this is all technically Adam's since he is alive and not just a machine," she tells her.

Celestia's eyes widen and she covers her face with a hoof and sighs. "Yes, and if we don't announce his presence the other nations may take it the wrong way, considering what he was built for..." she replies and sits down. "We'll have to announce a world meeting and tell the others. I just hope they won't treat you like some object to be examined and taken apart for study. While you were here, we never took a look inside you other than your power core to get it up and running again," she informs me.

I look to my shoulders and see both missile launchers still intact and loaded. I unlock myself from the station and pull out the pod from the left launcher.

"What is that? It wasn't on your schematics," Twilight asks.

"It is one of my weapons, it is a missile launcher that fires micro-missiles that detonate on impact. They can also track their targets should they attempt to escape," I reply.

She stares at the pod in my hand then back to me. "Why would humans make something like that?" she asks.

"They do not have the same abilities you seem to posses, they are a species that focus fully on science and technology and as it advanced, so too did their weapons and defence capabilities. They are now at a point where they could destroy a meteor the size of a large continent before it could collide with the planet, or at least deflect it away," I tell her.

Celestia and Twilight glance at each other. "You wouldn't happen to have any weapons capable of something like that with you now, would you?" Celestia asks warily.

"No, the most destructive weapon I have with me is myself. Should I need to, I can self destruct by overloading my power core which would result in a one mile radius detonation," I reply.

They both look horrified. "You can do that?" Twilight asks quietly.

"Yes, but it is a last resort and to stop enemy forces from claiming my remains," I tell her. "If it would ease you, I can lock the function so it cannot happen unless you allow it."

"Yes please, it's not that I don't trust you, Adam, but I would rather not take that risk," Celestia replies, nervously shifting around on her hooves.

"Then enter a password on the monitor that you can use to unlock it should we need to," I tell her and look at the monitor.

A window with the words 'Insert password' with a text box under it is waiting for them to pick a word to use.

Celestia's horn glows and so do some of the keys on the keyboard, she types a long word into the text box and hits enter.

"Processing... Password accepted. Self destruct protocol disabled until re-enabled via password, please provide a voice sample for secondary security measures," my voice automatically says.

"Voice sample?" she asks, tilting her head at me curiously.

"Processing... Voice sample accepted. Voice registered to Princess Celestia, please look into the retinal scanner for third security measure," I say automatically again.

A retinal scanner extends out of the mainframe to which Celestia just stares at it.

"Celestia, please move your eye as close to the scanner as you can. It will scan the unique patterns on your retina's blood vessels so only your eye can be used to unlock it. Try not to blink if you can help it as it would interrupt the scan," I tell her.

"Alright," she replies and leans forward until her eye is almost touching it, a pale blue light moves over her eye for a few seconds.

"Scan compete, retinal signature added, please provide a blood sample for final security measure," I say.

"B-Blood sample!?" Twilight asks shocked.

"Yes, just a drop will do," I say and a tray extends from the mainframe.

"Is it necessary?" Celestia asks.

"Yes, should someone somehow unlock the first three locks, the final one is designed to scan the one attempting access and if their DNA does not match with the registered sample, the system will automatically lock them out until I or you disable it," I reply.

She sighs. "Very well," she says. I lift up my new right arm and extend the blade above my wrist, making Twilight jump. I hold it out for her and she lightly cuts her foreleg on it. A single drop of blood hits the tray and it retracts. Her horn glows and the cut closes.

Accelerated healing... Visual and energy data recorded and saved to hard drive.

I retract my blade and lower my arm. "Blood sample is being processed... Processing... Process complete. Security measures updated," I automatically say again.

"Soooo... only the Princess can unlock your self destruct now?" Twilight asks.

"Correct," I reply and look at Celestia. "You now hold the rank of General, Celestia. I will follow your orders should I agree with them," I tell her.

"Thank you, I can tell this will be the start of a wonderful friendship," she says with a smile. "I need to contact the other nations leaders to arrange a meeting, please keep repairing Adam as best as you can, Twilight," she tells Twilight, who nodded in reply. She then turns around and walks out the room.

Twilight then turns to me. "So, Adam. What needs fixing next?"

Chapter 14: Building From The Ground Up

The War Machine
Chapter 14: Building From The Ground Up

Three Days Later

It's been three days since I became the Alpha of the nearby diamond dog Clan, I'm on my way back to them in my Trailer with the new tools and four large barrels of apples courtesy of Applejack. The tools are only stainless steel pickaxes, shovels, saws, hammers, spears, and farming tools.

I park the Trailer in front of the tunnel entrance in the wall of the Quarry and start unloading the supplies and tools. Once done, I lock my Trailer and diamond dog guards start showing up.

"Alpha!" they all say and bow to me.

"Greetings, I have brought the tools I said I would bring along with some food as well. I'll need four of you to help carry these down," I tell them.

Four of them salute and two of them pick up two apple barrels each while the other two pick up one of the tool crates each, I pick up the remaining two crates and they lead me back into the living area.

Spot sees me and runs up to me. "Alpha, we have gathered all the ore and gems you wanted," he tells me and points to an impressive mound of metals and gems, it could easily be mistaken for a dragon's hoard.

"Very good. I've brought new tools and some food for you all," I reply and set down the two crates and the others do as well. "Stainless steel Pickaxes, shovels, saws, hammers, and farming tools. I even have better spears that are more durable and sharper than your current ones," I tell him and open a crate with the pickaxes in them.

He looks inside and stares at them. "These are much better than old ones, they will help greatly. Thank you, Alpha," he says and the new tools are handed out to the miners. The saws and farming tools are stored away for later.

I look back to Spot. "Please fill two of these crates with gems and gold, I'll use them to purchase building supplies and teach you how to build better homes for yourselves," I tell him.

"As you command," he replies and orders some of the Dogs to fill the two crates up. Once full enough, I seal the lids and carry one back to the Trailer while two guards carry the other.

I place both creates into the back and face the guards. "I shall be back in a few hours with the construction materials," I say and they saluted.

I get back into my Trailer and drive off towards Ponyville.

Two Hours Later

I have purchased nearly all the available materials required in Ponyville to help start building at least ten small homes: bricks, timber, nails, mortar, carpet, and a few of the new personal radios.

I return to the den and with the help of the dogs, we unload all the supplies to the main hall.

"This is all I could get from Ponyville for now," I tell Spot.

"Thank you, Alpha. Already you show more kindness than old Alpha," he replies.

We spend the next six hours building the first house, these diamond dogs are fast learners, and once they see how something is done, they can copy it near perfectly. Reminds me of an old human saying: monkey see; monkey do.

The first house is done; it's just a basic brick house containing a bedroom with multiple beds, a lounge for the family living there to gather and interact, and a kitchen where they'll store their food and eat. Simple three room houses, they didn't need bathrooms as they apparently have an area where they do their business and use an underground river nearby to wash and get their drinking water from.

I've taken some more ore and gold to use for the construction of the Apache - the gold will be used as conductive components.

I bid them farewell and leave them to continue building and mining with their new tools. I also suggested taking some gems and gold into Ponyville with two or three dogs to trade for anything they might need.

Three Days Later

I return to the diamond dog den with Luna this time as she wanted to meet them.

The dogs were wary of her at first but once I told them she's a friend they instantly became friendly with her.

The first few dogs that came to Ponyville traded for more food at the market and clothes from Rarity. The dogs are looking much happier than they used to be and I've also brought some basic armour for them made from steel with nano-fibre padding underneath it; they only have gauntlets, shin guards, chest plates, and helmets with bullet proof nano-fibreglass visors over their faces at the moment.

They've built another three houses and they look just as good as the first, the atmosphere in the den is picking up and they look much more active than when I first saw them cowering from their old Alpha. They also really seem to enjoy the music from the radios, I had to build an antenna just outside the main gate and place a line heading inside to a transmitter to allow the radios to work underground.

"Alpha, we gathered more ore and gems. What do you wish us to do now?" Spot asks with two other dogs standing beside him.

One is taller and is wearing a red jacket with a few gems in the pocket and has grey fur, the other is nearly my height and much broader, he is a blueish grey colour wearing a grey jacket.

"I've just come to check up on your progress," I reply and look around again; the houses look good and the next one is being constructed already. "Spot, how many guards does the den have?" I ask him.

"We have fifty guard dogs... why?" he replies and asks.

"Equestria is at war with a gryphon named Jackaal and I would like volunteers that I will train to aid in the attack on Gryphonstone, ask any who would be willing to join us when the time comes," I tell him.

"Of course, if Alpha wishes us to fight, we fight," he says.

"I only want those who want to do this, not because I said so," I reply.

"Okay... Question: after homes are done, what we do next?" he asks me.

"I'd like you to dig a bigger entrance with a sturdy gate built into it, then we'll dig out a nice big area near it for shops and stalls for trading," I explain to him what I have planned.

"You mean you wish others come here?" he asks with surprise.

"Yes, this way you can sell your gems and ores to those that need them for bits. Once it is ready, I'll inform Ponyville and Princess Celestia of this as well so you may be recognised as an official town," I reply.

I look over at Luna who has three diamond dog pups on her back and is trotting around with a smile on her face, the pups have their arms in the air and are having fun.

Nine Days Later

Over the course of nine days: ten homes have been built in the den and new supplies bought to make more, the gems and ores the dogs are mining are being stored in a newly made storage room, Twilight even came by to look through some of the gems that she'll need for different effects for the magic rifles. So far the frame of the rifle is completed, all she needs to do now is find the right gem or crystal that'll work best to focus the magic in them.

Celestia has visited a couple of times to see how Twilight is doing and to have lunch with her sister. Luna also went to Canterlot three times to visit as well.

The scientists in Canterlot have learned a lot about the gryphon Tank from the salvaged parts, and are close to understanding how it works.

The gryphons themselves have remained silent, scouts report no gryphon sightings since their last attack. Though I am picking up changeling chatter on my radio interceptor coming from the Everfree Forest, but I can't make out exactly what is being said.

The second Titan is completed and work on the Apache has begun.

Today is the day I run my maintenance routine, I lock myself into my Trailer's station and run a diagnostics on my systems.

"Adam... Tell me, what does this Apache do?" Luna asks me while looking at the schematic on the computer.

"It is an aerial attack vehicle that can hover in the air, turn in place or strafe about, it is equipped with a five point fifty-six millimetre minigun and four twenty round rocket pods. It can fly faster than the Titan can move, it is used for quick strikes and air support for ground troops," I inform her.

"You mean this thing can fly?" she asks with wide eyes.

"Correct," I reply.

She looks through the schematics with a determined expression, she's learnt a lot about how human technology works and even built her own computer in her bedroom in the back of the Workshop. We've even started an experiment three days ago: I have copied my A.I. core coding and uploaded it into her computer without my memories. A fresh, new A.I. just like I was when I first came online.

She's also asked me to program it with a female voice after I told her the meaning of my name and she has named this A.I. Eve, the first female-based artificial intelligence. Luna has been teaching her about Equestria and what she is, she even has Eve calling her mother.

"Mother? What are dragon's like?" Eve asks Luna through her prosthetic's radio. Eve has access to data I have gathered on this world so far and is slowly going through it as Luna's computer only has two processors in it for now.

Luna smiles and raises her prosthetic up. "They are a proud race that tend to keep to themselves and rarely involve themselves with the affairs of others. They're also very easy to upset or to insult and will challenge anypony who does so," Luna replies.

"I see, thank you mother," Eve says.

"Eve is learning fast," I comment.

"Yes, I would like to add more processors to my computer for her; which I am working on but it will take me a while," she tells me.

"You know I can do that for you," I inform her.

"And I thought I told you that I wished to learn how to do so myself," she replies informatively.

I chuckle. "Very well," I say and return to my diagnostics.

Over the months of having this new operating system, my emotions seem to be... getting stronger for a lack of a better term; almost as if I was supposed to be made with them.

Once done I disconnect myself from the station and step out to begin getting ready to head back to the diamond dog den, the new gate should be complete today and the work on the shopping area is coming along well last time I went.

"Father, why don't I have a body like you do?" Eve asks me through my communication module. Luna has gotten her to start calling me that, I can see the logic behind it as I provided the code for her A.I. core while Luna designed her and is teaching her.

"I do not have the required materials yet to begin fabricating you one but once you have learnt more and I gather the resources needed, then I shall make you one," I reply.

"Okay," she says and returns to processing information.

I get into my Trailer and head out to the den.

One Week Later

The diamond dog den is now an officially recognised town, Celestia came down and inspected the den herself and was impressed at their progress from what I told her they started from. Although they're not part of Equestria, they are now allies with them due to their ties to me.

There are now twenty two houses built and the shopping district is completed, it's not very big with only six buildings and twenty-seven stalls and even the tunnels and walls have been replaced by sturdy bricks making the den look cleaner and more welcoming. The Ponyville blacksmith Caramel visited as well to buy some raw ores for his work and Celestia even traded a lot of bits for some rare and very magical gems like fire rubies, and other types as well.

The main gate to the den is complete with three inch thick iron doors, the tunnels are also being covered by strong bricks to make them more sturdy and visually pleasing.

The Apache is fifteen point six percent done so far and the main chassis is looking good, but we need to get some more steel and titanium as well.

Twilight and her friends have to go to a place called Appleloosa to deliver an apple tree to Applejack’s cousin, Twilight asked if I could use one of the Titan's to pull the tree as it would take nearly two weeks to pull it there on hoof and by cart.

I agreed and left Luna to begin making the Apache's plating and to check up on the den while I'm gone.

We rigged up a long passenger carriage connected to the back of the Titan and a cart with the apple tree tied to it connected to the carriage.

So here we are after three days of travelling and we're in a dry looking plains area with hardly any vegetation at all; who would want to settle out here?

"This is amazing! Why don't we have something like this? It would be so much better than hoofing it ourselves," Rainbow Dash asks. I'm standing in the Titan's hatch keeping watch of our surroundings while they're all in the carriage chatting.

Pinkie Pie then sticks her head out the window. "Adam! Can we take a break!? I need to use the little fillies room!" she yells at me.

I slowly stop the Titan and they all get out and go about their business or to stretch their limbs.

"Twilight," I call out to her.

She walks over and looks up at me. "Yes, Adam?"

"I was thinking that once we return, I can show you the schematics for a Train so everyone can travel from place to place with ease, maybe even connect it to the other nations as well," I tell her.

Her eyes widen. "What's a Train?" she asks.

"A Train is a locomotive that pulls passenger cars and cargo containers from location to location at speeds of one-hundred and fifty-five miles an hour on a pre-placed set of tracks," I reply.

She gasps and stares wide eyed at me. "You'd teach us how to make these?" she asks with excitement.

"Yes, it would benefit Equestria and others to be able to get around so quickly and trade between countries," I tell her.

She squeals with a chorus of. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes YES!" while hopping around like Pinkie Pie does.

Once they're done, they get back in and we continue on our way towards Appleloosa.

Two Hours And Twenty-Six Minutes Later

Movement to my left gets my attention at what appears to be a herd of buffalo making their way towards us. I zoom in with my optics and notice headbands with feathers on their heads.

I stop the Titan and get out with my assault rifle in hand.

"Adam? Why did we stop?" Twilight asks.

I point at the incoming buffalo. "We have company, and they don't look happy to see us," I reply and walk to the back of the cart.

I control the Titan wirelessly and aim its guns at the incoming buffalo.

They don't seem to be stopping and it looks like they're on an intercept course for the cart.

Processing... I fire the Titan's turret just ahead of the herd and the bullets kick up sand and dirt, the buffalo suddenly come to a grinding halt and glare at us.

"State your intentions," I demand and aim my rifle and the Titan's guns at them.

The one in front is a tall and very big buffalo, he steps forward and glares at me. "I am Chief Thunderhooves of the Mild West buffalo tribe. We shall not allow anymore of these ponies trees to be planted on our sacred stampeding grounds!" he tells me.

"Sacred stampeding grounds?" Spike asks.

"Yes, pony settlers have moved onto our lands and have planted an orchard on our ancestral stampeding route. If the orchard is not removed soon, we will stampede through it, and their town," he replies.

I look at the apple tree and then back at the buffalo. I aim the Titan's main guns out towards a dead tree in the dusty plains. "Should you do that I will retaliate with force," I reply and fire one shell.

The shell impacts at the base of a dead tree and rips it out of the ground leaving a deep crater in it's place.

The buffalo stare at the hole in the ground and some start to back away.

I then look back at the Buffalo. "I shall have a word with the settlers about this. I recommend ceasing any further attacks on the ponies, before you start something you cannot finish," I tell them.

The Chief looks at me for a few seconds before turning away. "Very well, you have five days before our annual stampede begins. Whether or not they're still there, we will come," he tells me and retreats back into the plains. A young looking buffalo looks back at me and then at the crater before following the others.

"Holy cow! That was so awesome!" Rainbow shouts out as she looks towards the crater.

"This is turning out to be a big problem..." Twilight says.

I hear whimpering and look inside the carriage to see Fluttershy curled up under a blanket with Rarity trying to calm her down.

"I apologise for the loud noise, Fluttershy," I say to the shaking mare.

"I-I-It's f-fine..." she replies.

"Don't worry about her, dear. I'll cheer her up," Rarity says while rubbing Fluttershy's withers.

"Very well, I shall continue on our route then," I tell them and get back into the Titan.

I look around one more time; the coast is clear and I continue on to Appleloosa.

Author's Note

Edited and I've made a blog post explaining the train.