A Wolf in Cybernetic Armor

Chapters

2 - First Contact
3 - The Bigger They Are....
4 - ...The Harder the Cleanup
5 - Talking to Royalty
6 - Meeting the Bearers
7 - A Mare's Secret
8 - A Sister's Love
9 - Crusading Crisis
10 - Moving Forward
11 - Choosing Fate
12 - Homeward Bound
14 - Departure
15 - Ponyville Welcome
16 - Every Bad Day...
17 - ...Ends With the Dawn
18 - A New Beginning
19 - Starting Again
20 - Unleash the Magic
21 - Trials and Transmodifications
1 - Mission Launch
13 - Choosing Sides

2 - First Contact

After fricasseeing that feline back in the clearing, Shadow walked along one of the more well-beaten of the game trails that crisscrossed the forest floor, his falcon companion flying overhead and scanning the areas ahead in search of other possible threats. Shadow had disengaged his weapons systems for the moment, now that the danger had passed, but he still kept an ear to the proverbial ground in case something else decided to come along and pick a fight. Yet for several hours, nothing dared to show its face to the duo other than to scamper off into the foliage before either he or the falcon could get a good look. The light of the star overhead was just beginning to fade when Shadow came across something he hadn’t been expecting, and it proved without a doubt that at least some form of intelligent life had once called this forest home.

Standing in the middle of a much larger clearing, closed in on two sides by a deep ravine, was an ancient castle, although to say the structure was in a state of disrepair would have been an understatement. Most of the walls were either crumbling to dust or were so overgrown Shadow could barely make out the stone blocks beneath, leaving the once impressive building looking like little more than a pile of rubble.

Shadow carefully approached the structure, keeping an eye out for possible dangers as well as inspecting his surroundings as his falcon scanned the castle in its entirety from the air. Schematics and data readouts flooded his processors, and for a moment he was nearly overwhelmed by the sheer onslaught of information before his hypercore kicked into gear. The sophisticated piece of hardware was one of his last lines of defense if he or any of his fellow Cyber Wolves got into a particularly nasty situation where data overload posed a threat. To prevent a mandatory system shutdown, the hypercore compartmentalized all of the incoming information and stored it in compressed packages that could be accessed at a later date in smaller amounts. This allowed him and any of the others to continue functioning when other machines would have been overloaded and forced to power down.

As the data streams were condensed and stored away in his memory banks, Shadow resumed his slow walk into the castle entrance hall, or what little remained of it. His falcon flew in through one of the blown-out windows and landed on a boulder that had fallen from the ceiling overhead, providing overwatch with its long-range sensors as Shadow worked his way deeper into the building. The rest of the castle hadn’t fared much better than the foyer, although there was enough left to nearly force Shadow to activate his hypercore again.

As he entered what could only be the throne room, he was forced to pause and analyze the room around him as his optics roamed around the large space. Scorch marks old and new marked the stone where high-energy blasts had impacted the rock, melting the stone in several places and blackening the grey marble into smoky slag. The steps that led up to the twin thrones were shattered through the middle like something massive had impacted the site, and the gold and navy banners that hung behind the thrones were torn as if cut by a sword or shard of glass.

A battle had taken place here, Shadow concluded, and a very heated one at that. Judging by the heat needed to melt the stone, high-energy weapons had to have played a factor, even though the tech level implied by his surroundings suggested a more medieval civilization. Perhaps the castle had simply been used as a staging ground for a more modern conflict, but that didn’t explain the difference in age between the old blast marks and the new. Judging by the wear and weathering on the old marks, they had to have been created centuries before the new ones, and yet they resembled the new marks in several ways that implied the same type of weapon had been used in both instances. It was enough to make Shadow’s processors start to overheat, but before he could think himself into a forced shutdown, he received an alert from the falcon in the entrance hall. Long-range sensors had picked up a group of organics coming closer to the castle, and from the amount of noise they were making, things that were not afraid of making themselves known in the middle of a forest nearing sunset.

Thinking a bit of extra reconnaissance would do him a service in this situation, Shadow sent a wireless order to the falcon drone to fly out and spy on the nearing organics. Any additional information could prove useful in whatever situation arose from the nearing encounter. Watching the world move and shrink through the drone’s optics, Shadow watched as the mechanical bird flew up and over the castle, looping around one of the towers before flying out and over the forest proper. Within seconds, the drone’s sensors picked up the group of organics moving towards the castle, and Shadow zoomed in on the group to get a closer look.

They resembled earthly equines about as much as the cat creature from before had resembled a lion, meaning they had very little in common other than basic body type and proportions. All six of them had to only stand four feet tall at best, although the most striking thing about them was their color scheme. Colors that would be more at home in an artist’s gallery than nature covered these creatures from head to hoof, ranging from light blue all the way to neon pink and everywhere in between. Another thing that made them unique was the fact that only two of them did not sport extra appendages that normal equines lacked.

Two had short horns that sprouted from their brows, while two others had wings attached to their backs that seemed to allow for controlled flight, if the neon blue one hovering over the heads of the others had anything to say about it. Yet something wasn’t adding up. The wings were too small to carry the creature’s presumed weight, meaning they were either a lot lighter than they looked, or something else was going on here. As the group of equines neared the castle, the falcon’s sensors picked up another anomaly. The purple one with a horn was carrying what looked like saddlebags over its haunches, meaning that it either belonged to someone or had crafted the objects itself. This meant that either these creatures were the property of a sapient life form or were in fact an alien race in their own rite.

Given the fact that the creatures were walking along and conversing in rather loud voices, assuming the rhythm and syntax of their vocalizations formed into a true language, Shadow was inclined to believe that these equines were in fact a sapient race, although whether they were the ones that created the damage to the castle or if something else had done it remained to be seen. Knowing that the group was going to most likely enter the castle at some point, Shadow had two options. He could retreat and try to gather more data before engaging the locals, or he could reveal himself and try to initiate first contact. Falling back on his base protocols, Shadow realized that there was no protocol for first contact, although there were subroutines written into his core systems that allowed him to act as humanity’s messenger if the situation allowed for it. He had no authority to make decisions concerning relations between Earth and any discovered alien races, but he was allowed to act as the mediator and messenger between the two should the situation arise.

With that in mind, Shadow recalled the falcon and commanded it to remain hidden in one of the upper towers, lest its presence startle the equines as they neared the castle. With nothing better to do but wait, Shadow walked back to the entrance foyer and sat down in the center of the room, facing the broken main doors with the central staircase to his back as he settled in. Sooner or later the equines would enter the castle, if their presence and implied destination proved to be correct, meaning they would have to enter through the front doors, given the rest of the castle exits were sealed off after so many years of neglect.

Now the only thing left to do was to see how the equines reacted to him and see if they truly were an intelligent race.

Twilight was feeling both nervous and excited about what lay in store for her and her friends. From what her tracking spell had told her, the creature that had made the terrible roar earlier in the day had taken up residence in the Castle of the Two Sisters, although for some reason it was having a hard time telling her what it was that had made the sound. Usually a spell like Find It was able to give basic information about the creature or pony it was supposed to track, but somehow the spell wasn’t giving her anything other than the creature’s location. It was beyond frustrating, and it was only compounded by the fact that Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were talking nonstop about what they might encounter in the old ruins.

“Ooh, ooh, maybe it’s a new type of dragon that breathes clouds of cotton candy instead of fire.” The peppy pink earth pony exclaimed as she bounced along next to the others, “Wouldn’t that be amazing?!”

“I suppose a dragon would be cool,” Rainbow replied, “but I think it’s something we’ve never seen before. Some kind of super rare monster like the creatures Daring Do faces in her books. Something like that would make us famous for sure if we managed to capture it.”

Rarity scoffed as she rolled her eyes, “Honestly, do you really think something like that would end up this close to a pony town without somepony hearing about it? I mean seriously, we’re only half a day’s walk from Ponyville and I’m certain the weather patrol would have spotted something that big if it came anywhere near the edge of the forest.”

“Oh, I hope whatever it is isn’t looking for something to eat.” Fluttershy whimpered as she lowered her head and glanced around, “I wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of whatever can make a roar that loud.”

“The only thing we’re going to do is get a look at the monster and then come up with a plan for what we do after,” Twilight said as she narrowed her eyes in concentration, her horn lighting up as she cast the Find It spell again, only to get the same frustrating results, “Ah! Now if I could only get this stupid spell to work properly, we’d have a much better idea what we were going to see.”

“Maybe the forest is messin’ with yer magic Twi’.” Applejack said as she took a look around for possible threats, “The Everfree can get pretty crazy when things start moving around that have any kind of power. Ah wouldn’t be surprised if it’s messin' with yer spell on top of whatever else might be goin’ on right now.”

“I just hope we can get to the castle before dark,” Twilight added as the group continued on their way, “the Everfree is dangerous enough in the daytime. I’d rather not find out what comes out to hunt at night.”

The others nodded their agreement, falling silent as the rope bridge leading to the Castle of the Two Sisters came into view. The dark monolith was still as foreboding as ever, although the added knowledge that there was a resident made it seem all the more ominous. Top that off with the fact they had no idea what they would find within the crumbling walls, and it added up to a huge ball of nerves that was wound tighter than a watch spring.

The sextet slowly crossed the bridge and made their way up to the castle proper, coming up to the old entrance and bunching up at the dark opening as their nerves got the better of them. Twilight swallowed thickly and glanced behind her at her friends, receiving nervous nods from most of them before turning back to the shadowed doorway. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to step forward and into the castle itself, hearing the others follow close behind as the sun began to set over the trees behind them.

She had only taken a few steps into the castle when her eyes locked onto a figure sitting at the base of the main staircase, her eyes widening in terror as the lithe form of a Timberwolf met her gaze. She yelped in fright before back-peddling straight into the others, knocking the whole group to the ground as their legs got tangled up in each other.

“What gives Twilight?” Rainbow asked as she gazed down at the tangled mass of ponies beneath her, “What is it?”

“T-T-T-T-T,” Twilight stuttered as she pointed at the shadowed figure at the far side of the room, “Timberwolf!”

All at once, the rest of the girls forced themselves to their hooves and formed a protective half circle as Twilight ignited her horn, charging up an attack as she locked her gaze on the glowing red eyes of the Timberwolf. Wait a minute, red eyes? Twilight paused for a moment as she took a second look at the lupin figure before them and noticed that the wolf truly did have red eyes, instead of the normal green glow associated with the Everfree’s most notorious hunter. Not to mention there wasn’t the normal stink that Timberwolves gave off like a bad attitude, nor did there seem to be more than the single figure before them. Twilight cast a quick Life Locator spell and was shocked to find that other than her friends and herself, there wasn’t anything else living within a hundred hooves of the group.

So, what did that mean concerning the wolf hidden in shadow across the room?

AJ and Rainbow were gearing up to fight as Pinkie and Rarity got into defensive stances on either of Twilight’s sides, while Fluttershy hid behind Twilight’s tail as a whimper escaped the timid pegasus’ mouth.

Thinking fast, Twilight yelled out with as much force as she could muster, “Everypony stop right where you are!”

Rainbow and AJ looked at her like she had lost her mind, while Rarity and Pinkie glanced at each other in confusion. Fluttershy simply ducked behind Twilight further, although she glanced up at the purple unicorn with an uncertain expression as Twilight stepped forward and narrowed her eyes at the lupin figure before them.

“What gives Twilight?” Rainbow asked, “Why did you stop us? We need to kick that thing to kindling before the rest of its buddies show up.”

“That’s just it,” Twilight retorted, “I’m not picking up any life in the castle except for us, so there aren’t any other Timberwolves in the area or my spell would have picked them up. Also, something about that wolf seems off. Anypony else notice that it doesn’t stink in here?”

The others took a moment to smell the air, and their eyes widened in surprise as they glanced between each other and the still form before them.

“Ah guess Ah didn’t think about that when ya said there was a Timberwolf in here with us.” Applejack said as she turned her full attention to the hidden creature before them, “But if that ain’t a Timberwolf, then what is it?”

“I’m not sure,” Twilight replied, “but it’s not coming up on my life spell, so maybe it’s a security golem that got activated at some point?”

“A golem?” Rarity asked in wonder, “But if it’s been in the castle for all this time, how could it still be working? Wouldn’t the magic that powers it have run out a long time ago?”

“That’s just it,” Twilight replied, “golems can recharge their animation spells if a special spell seal is woven into a room for them to use. It could have been feeding off the magic left over from the wards and security spells this castle used to have a thousand years ago. I just don’t know why Luna or Celestia never told us about it if it’s been here all this time. Surely Nightmare Moon would have activated it to fight against us during her return if she had it at her disposal.”

“Well why don’t we just ask it what it’s doing here?” Pinkie added as she bounced in place, “Who better to tell us why it’s been sleeping in the castle for so long than the golem itself?”

Twilight shook her head, “I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Pinkie. Golems can’t speak, and even if they could, they have no mind of their own so all it would be good for is making random words or sounds.”

“Well we’re not going to find anything out sitting here all night.” Applejack stated bluntly as she began to walk forward, “What’s say we go and investigate this here golem and find out if that thing is what made that huge roar earlier today?”

“Be careful, AJ,” Twilight called out as the orange mare walked towards the shadowed figure, “we don’t know if it’s been tasked with protecting anything. It could attack you if you come too close.”

The apple farmer snorted, “Ah think a can handle a few pieces of rock and stone fused together by magic. After all, Ah’ve bucked a few boulders to pieces back on the farm. This won’t be any different.”

As Applejack stepped closer to the wolf, it stood up slowly and began to walk towards her, only to stop and sit down once more as it stepped into the light that was streaming through the doorway behind the gathered ponies.

Applejack stopped short as her body locked up in shock, the gasps of her friends echoing around the room as the wolf’s body was revealed in its entirety. Twilight’s mind felt like it was going into shutdown, because the creature before them was most certainly not a golem, or anything else that she had ever encountered before.

The being looked like a Timberwolf in general shape, but that was where the similarity stopped. Instead of being made of wood or stone, the glint of polished metal met her gaze as pistons and armor plating slowly shifted as the automaton sat back down on its haunches. Dark black alloy reflected the setting sun’s light as its glowing red optics moved from one mare to the next, seeming to inspect them one by one before turning its attention back to Applejack. The farm mare was scared stiff as she shook from ears to tail, her eyes pinpricks of fear as she slowly took a step back.

The wolf made no moves to follow, instead tilting its head to one side as if questioning her actions. Twilight noticed that the machine seemed to be acting more like a living creature than an animal and wondered to herself if it was more than what it seemed to be. The most advanced machines she knew of were her lab computers and other such things back at the library, but that was nothing compared to the engineering and technology required to make the automaton before her. It had to be decades, maybe centuries ahead of anything Equestria had at its disposal, which could only mean one thing.

“This thing isn’t from Equestria.” She said quietly, almost to herself, although it must have been loud enough for the others to hear because they all looked her way with surprise in their gazes.

“What do you mean this machine isn’t from Equestria?” Rarity asked, her eyes turning to inspect the mechanical wolf in more detail as the others muttered their agreement.

“I mean that the technology required to make something like that doesn’t exist yet.” Twilight explained, “It’s so advanced I can’t even wrap my head around it, yet it’s staring me right in the face.”

“So, what does that mean for us?” Rainbow asked as she landed, her wings still flared in preparation for a fight, “Are we being invaded by some high-tech creatures from someplace beyond Equestria?”

“I don’t think so,” Twilight replied, “otherwise they would have sent more than just one machine. Not to mention it hasn’t done anything to hurt us or even threaten us since we got here. I think it’s something else, for some purpose that we don’t understand yet.” She took a deep breath before stepping up to Applejack’s side, the wolf’s glowing gaze never leaving her face as she approached, “I don’t know what to expect, but I think we should at least try to understand what it’s doing here before we do anything else.”

“And how do you expect to get those answers?” Rarity countered, “You said so yourself that golems can’t speak so what good will questions do us?”

“That’s just it.” Twilight said, “This isn’t a golem, and with technology this advanced, I’m betting whoever made it gave it the ability to communicate in some way.” She stepped up to the wolf, trying to keep her thundering heartbeat under control as she got a very close-up look at the machine’s glinting fangs and claws. “Um, hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. Can you understand me?”

The equines were speaking to each other, that much Shadow was certain of. It was too complex and too regular to be simple animal sounds, not to mention they seemed to be having a conversation about him as the purple one walked up to join the orange one before him. He couldn’t understand anything they were saying, but that was to be expected from an alien language. He was able to record everything that had been said up until the purple one stepped forward and addressed him directly, speaking what he calculated was a greeting of some kind.

Not knowing what else to do, he repeated the equine’s words back to her, only he used his own voice in doing so. The equine’s eyes shrank and for a moment he thought he had done something wrong, but then the purple equine began to speak very rapidly and bounce around on its hooves, adding to his growing list of word recordings for several minutes before coming down from its excitement. It immediately got back in front of him and repeated the words he had just spoken, gesturing to its chest with a hoof before pointing at his chest. For a moment Shadow wasn’t sure what it was doing, until he realized that it had just indicated its identifying nomenclature and then prompted him to do the same. In short, it had introduced itself and was asking for his name.

Shadow pressed a paw to his chest, noting how the equine’s eyes got wide again even before he spoke, this time changing in what he assumed was the equine’s name with his own, although he was forced to use English for that part because he lacked the knowledge to translate it into the equine’s tongue.

“My name is -,” The rest was unintelligible to Twilight, but she assumed it was the automaton’s name in its own language. She was so giddy she nearly jumped for joy, but at the moment she was too engrossed in trying to learn more about the mechanical wonder sitting before her.

“This is unbelievable!” She giggled to herself as the others gathered around, their eyes wide with wonder as they looked up at the machine with new interest, “I’m having a conversation with a machine, and it’s talking back to me!”

“So, this thing ain’t just a hunk of metal after all.” Applejack muttered to herself as she bent down to inspect the wolf’s claws, “Ah sure wouldn’t want ta get on its bad side if it used these things to fight.” She tapped one paw with her hoof, noting how the machine was watching her every move with what seemed to be blank interest, “These things are harder than the metal we got in the plow, and that’s some of the strongest metal around.” She shuddered as she sat back up and glanced over the rest of the hound’s metallic body, “If its whole body is made of that stuff, then it’s got to be nearly impossible to break with raw force.”

“What I’m interested in is how the designers of this thing got all of those little pieces to work together so well.” Rarity added as she inspected the small moving parts visible through the plating on the wolf’s chest, “It’s like watching water flow over stones the way they all move in perfect harmony with one another.”

“Ooh, maybe we can get Robo-wolf to tell us where he comes from if we teach him how to speak pony.” Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced around with excitement.

Twilight hummed in thought, “You know, that actually isn’t a bad idea. It’s obvious the machine can learn how to speak our language, all we need to do is give it some instruction and it shouldn’t be very long before we can get our answers.” She glanced over at the bouncing pink earth pony, “Good idea Pinkie.”

“What idea?” She asked, pausing for a moment to hold a hoof to her chin as she rolled her eyes upward in thought, “Oh, that idea. I guess I wasn’t paying attention to what I was saying again.” She bopped herself on the forehead with a wide grin on her face, “Silly me.”

The rest of the girls laughed, and for a moment the mechanized wolf seemed confused as to what was going on, although it quickly returned to its state of neutral interest as the girls got themselves under control.

“Oh Pinkie,” Twilight managed to say after she caught her breath, “never change.”

“So now that we have a plan,” Rainbow interrupted as she gestured to the robot in their midst, “what do we do with him?”

Applejack glanced at the sun as Princess Celestia lowered it below the horizon, plunging the castle into darkness as the moon rose in its place, “Too dangerous to travel back to town tonight. We might as well stay here and head back in the morning.”

Rarity yawned, covering her mouth with a dainty hoof as she nodded her agreement, “While I would rather enjoy sleeping in my own bed for the night, I would also hate to end up as some creature’s meal because I couldn’t rough it for one evening. I say we keep our new companion company and set out at first light.”

The rest of the group hummed their ascent, bunching up together for warmth as the moon rose higher into the sky. Applejack covered her face with her hat while Pinkie used her tail as a blanket, leaving Rainbow to rest her chin on Rarity’s back while the fashionista used Twilight’s saddlebags as a makeshift pillow. The purple unicorn curled up against Applejack’s side and rested her chin on her front hooves, letting her weight settle into Applejack’s warm fur as she settled in for the night. She watched as the robotic wolf looked them over with a slight tilt to its head, before it too lay down on its stomach and rested its head on its front paws. Twilight was just about to go to sleep, when she saw Fluttershy of all ponies walking up to the mechanical hound with her head held low and her tail tucked between her hind legs. For a moment Twilight wondered what the shy pegasus was doing, until they widened in surprise when the butter yellow mare lay down next to the machine and rested her side against the thick plating that made up its body.

Shadow didn’t quite understand what was going on, other than the fact that the timid equine had sought him out in search of what might have been comfort or protection. He had gotten a few scans of the creatures during their conversation and inspection of him, and had discovered that they were all females, at least compared to the sexes of earth-based creatures. He also now had a feeling that the equines were a herd-based society, at least given by how they used each other for comfort when they slept as a group, although it did nothing to explain why the yellow one had sought him out. As a machine modelled after a predator, her instincts should have been telling her to stay away from him, not sleep rested against his side. He had noticed ow the group had reacted to him upon first seeing him, including how the purple one's horn had glowed for a few seconds before fading out. They had been preparing to fight him, but for some reason the purple one had stopped them before anything unbecoming could occur. It was nearly enough to make his processors overheat from the lack of information eating at his operating systems, given he still had no idea what was being said between the small equines.

Yet, as the mares slowly fell asleep one by one, he couldn’t bring himself to bother trying to figure it out. The conundrum of why these creatures acted the way they did could wait until a later time, once he had a better understanding of how they worked, both as a society and as individual beings.

Shadow set the falcon on overwatch once more, making sure that it would alert him if anything came near the castle that could pose a threat. With that done he let himself power down, his optics shutting off as his processors slowed to a crawl, leaving only the most basic of functions active in case of an emergency. The last thing he filed away within his memory banks, was the small smile he had seen on the yellow mare’s face as she slept against his side.

Author's Note

Yay, another chapter in the books for all of you to enjoy. Some of you asked for me not to make the characters able to understand each other so here you go. One translation-free interaction with the promise of language lessons in the future. With a language barrier in place, I wonder how Shadow and the girls will react to one another when new information becomes available to both groups? I guess you'll just have to wait and find out when I post the next chapter won't you.

Anyways, happy to see you all back again for another round and I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

3 - The Bigger They Are....

The light of Celestia’s sun broke over the Castle of the Two Sisters in a wave of color and warmth the following morning, causing Twilight and the rest of the mares to stir from their slumber. The purple unicorn let loose a huge yawn as she stretched her back like a cat, hearing the others moving about as they too forced the clutches of sleep out of their minds. Twilight got her eyes to open after a few minutes of struggle, although as she turned her attention to her surroundings she noticed that one of the group was still out like a light.

Fluttershy was still curled up against the mechanical wolf’s flank, her tail curled over her muzzle and her breathing smooth as the wolf’s crimson gaze shifted from the sleeping pegasus to Twilight, its head slightly tilted as if asking permission to wake their peaceful companion.

Twilight stepped forward and gently poked Fluttershy in the side, her attention still partly locked on the wolf as it stayed perfectly still. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to completely trust the machine, given they knew almost nothing about it. It seemed to be operating under peaceful intentions, although that could change in a second if it had some kind of ulterior programing hid beneath its calm exterior.

Fluttershy shifted slightly at Twilight’s gentle prodding, her eyes opening as she rubbed them with a hoof, “T-Twilight?” She let loose a jaw-splitting yawn as she forced herself to her hooves, “What time is it?”

“It’s just past dawn.” Twilight replied as she stepped back to allow the pegasus to rise, “I was thinking we could get going once everypony is awake and aware. We don’t want to hang around here longer than we have too. This is the Everfree after all.”

The demur mare nodded, turning her attention to the wolf as it too rose to its paws, towering almost a head higher than the ponies as its head did a quick scan of the surrounding room. Fluttershy tapped the wolf’s paw with a hoof, getting its attention as its gaze leveled on her, and Twilight was taken by surprise as the shy pegasus lifted her head up and gave the side of the wolf’s face a tender nuzzle.

The wolf stayed in its still stance as Fluttershy pulled back, tilting its head slightly as if in confusion at what the mare had just done. A tiny smile graced Fluttershy’s lips as she turned and walked over to the others, leaving Twilight to figure out what in Equestria had just happened. The duo turned to look at one another, and the wolf seemed to consider her for a moment before walking past her and towards the castle entrance. For a second, Twilight warred with herself about trying to figure out what had just transpired but shook her head as she cleared the thoughts from her mind.

“This isn’t the time or place to be wondering why Fluttershy is acting like that.” She reassured herself as she walked up to join the rest of the group. “Just focus on the bigger picture and things will work themselves out in the end.”

“So, what’s the plan Twilight?” Rainbow asked as she took to the air, hovering over the group as she glanced over her shoulder at the wolf standing guard at the barren doorway.

“Well Ah for one don’t want to be in this forest for any longer than Ah have too.” Applejack stated as she glanced around at the still dimly lit castle, “This place might not have a bunch of monsters running around, but that doesn’t mean we won’t run into trouble on the way back if we stick around too long.”

“I completely agree,” Rarity added with a flip of her mane, “this ghastly forest is no place for any self-respecting pony unless extreme circumstances are present.” She let out a huff as she turned and walked over to join the wolf at the castle gate, “I would think getting our new friend back to Ponyville would be our top priority now that we know what is going on.”

“I still think we should keep an eye on that thing,” Rainbow said as she hovered over to the wolf’s side, the automaton simply turning an ear towards the prismatic mare but otherwise making no indication it cared about her presence. “who knows what it might do if it gets into a town and goes crazy on us?”

“Why would Wolfie do anything like that?” Pinkie asked as she bounced up to the wolf and rested her hoof over its back, causing it to look her way as she cast a questioning look up at Rainbow, “He’s been nothing but nice to us since we met him, he even let Fluttershy sleep next to him when we all went to bed last night.”

Rainbow nodded her agreement, although she still locked the wolf with a penetrating glare, much though it seemed the wolf had little care for the pegasus’ ire as it turned its attention back to the forest. The wolf had its ears perked and its glowing eyes roaming over the foliage, as if searching for something that none of the mares could see.

“Perhaps we could continue this conversation back in Twilight’s library?” Rarity suggested, following the purple unicorn as they joined the rest of the group at the castle entrance.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the back of the wolf’s head as it once again scanned the forest for something, her eyes naturally following its gaze in an attempt to spot what it was looking at. “I think the wolf is looking for something, although I don’t know what it is.” She stepped past the mechanical hound and motioned for the others to follow, “Let’s see if it tries to find whatever it is as we head back to town. I’m curious to find out if it was sent here with a specific mission in mind.”

“But what could it possibly be looking for in this forest?” Applejack asked as they filed out of the castle and over the rope bridge, the wolf following them as it continued to survey its surroundings, “For all we know it simply hasn’t seen anything like Equestria before, especially wild lands like the Everfree.”

“Maybe it’s simply looking around to get familiar with its surroundings?” Fluttershy added from the back of the group, “After all, machine or not, it seems to have at least some form of intelligence that guides its actions. If it wasn’t made of metal, I wouldn’t have a hard time thinking it was just another animal.”

“While that might be true,” Twilight said as she led the group back towards town, “the purpose this machine was sent here to complete is still unknown, so we won’t know anything until we can get some answers out of it, assuming it will tell us the truth once it can speak Equish.”

For a while everything seemed to be going well, the girls talked about innocuous things, the wolf continued to watch the forest like a foal in a candy store, and the sun travelled across the sky in a slow arc. Yet, something began to nag at the back of Twilight’s mind as they got further away from the castle. Something was making the fur on the back of her neck stand on end, and she couldn’t put her hoof on exactly why. It wasn’t until there was a lull in the girls’ conversations that she realized what it was that had made her so nervous.

The birds had stopped singing.

Shadow was paying close attention to the falcon’s readings as he scanned the forest around the group for threats, the image of the extra large feline quick to reassert itself in his memory banks as the equines led him along a moderately beaten path through the wood. For the first three hours the trip was relatively uneventful. He managed to record a large sample of the native’s language, although without any kind of reference material he was unable to form any kind of translation matrix. He had made an educated guess with the introductions back at the castle, and it seemed to have paid off, although as the cluster of equines made more and more progress into the foliage, the sensors of the falcon began to pick up something massive on its radar.

Moving through the forest to the north of their position, was an organic that had to be at least a hundred feet in length, its mass creating tremors that his paws were able to detect even though it was still miles away. For a moment Shadow believed that the titanic thing would simply pass them by, as its trajectory was going to miss their path of travel by a significant margin. Yet that belief was quickly dashed as the signal paused for several seconds, then changed direction and made a rapid beeline for the traveling group. If the sudden lack of birdsong was any indication, the approaching creature was not something they wanted to mess with, and he readied his weapons systems as the creature’s steps began to reach audible levels.

Weapons Status: Active…Awaiting Deployment…

Avian Scout Status: Defensive…Weapons Systems on Standby…

Shadow turned his head in the direction of the approaching creature, the equines pausing as the purple one held up a hoof and tilted her head as her ears rotated back and forth. For a moment nothing happened, then the purple one’s eyes widened in a highly expressive show of fear, and with a high-pitched yell the equines all ran down the trail as fast as their hooves could carry them. Shadow followed closely behind the group, the falcon’s long-range cameras finally picking up what was creating such powerful vibrations, and he nearly stumbled as the scout’s scanners provided him with an in-depth analysis of the creature barreling down at them.

It had to be at least one hundred feet from nose to tail, its body supported by two stubby legs as it crushed any tree that dared to get in its way. Four triangular heads swung on long necks and flashing teeth the size of his leg glinted in the starlight as the reptile locked its gaze on the retreating group. Performing a quick calculation of the creature’s speed and its direction, Shadow realized that it would overtake them before they could get into any kind of shelter, meaning they would most likely end up lunch if he didn’t do something.

Avian Scout Status: Aggressive…Weapons Systems Deployed…

Shadow ordered the falcon drone to distract the beast as long as it could while he protected the equines, watching through the falcon’s optics as it dove down on the advancing reptile and fired its small collection of mini rockets at the creature’s leftmost head. The explosives were only the size of a grenade, and did little more than make the reptile flinch as they detonated between its eyes, although it did cause the heads to turn and address the small metal bird that was flying straight at it.

Yet it was not to be. Seeing that the shiny bird was not much of a threat, the huge beast began lumbering after the group once again, ignoring the falcon’s claws as they did little more than scrape the scales that covered its neck and back. Using what data he could get from the falcon’s attacks, Shadow knew that the only way he was going to stop the monster chasing them would be to stand and fight himself, although his self-preservation codes were at war with his directive to protect intelligent life. True, the code had never been intended to include anything other than humans, but it had still been written with all intelligent life as the primary directive. It took several seconds, in which the monstrous creature drew close enough for him to see over the treetops, before he was able to come to a conclusion. The protection of intelligent life overrode his self-preservation codes, if only by a technicality, but it cleared his processors of the errors and looping commands that had prevented him from acting.

With his mind made up, Shadow braced his legs against the ground as the group passed through a large clearing, his claws digging up grass and dirt as he slid to a stop. The platting on his shoulders folded back and his plasma cannons extended as he began charging up his attack. He could hear the equines coming to a stop behind him as he turned to face the huge reptile bearing down on them but paid them no mind as he let loose another echoing roar. He hadn’t put everything into it like the last one, the hearing of his companions being accounted for, but it was certainly enough to catch the creature’s attention as its four heads turned to lock onto him.

Blue energy charged up and sparked around the ends of his cannons, and with a slight adjustment for the beast’s movement, he fired off his first shot. Without waiting to see how it would react, Shadow followed up with another set of blasts aimed just below the first, hoping to score a double hit before the creature could get into the clearing.

The first two bolts impacted the middle two heads just below the jaw, the heated matter searing the flesh and scales as the creature roared in pain. It stumbled to a halt just as the second round of plasma hit it directly in the center of its chest, the two compressed balls of energy impacting the same location and punching a hole into its body as the beast roared even louder. For a moment Shadow thought that would be the end of it, but to his utter shock, the hole in the creature’s chest began to close up, just as the burns under its middle jaws regrew the missing scales and flesh. The falcon was still flying around its heads in an effort to distract it from the group, but it did little against the monster’s fury as it leveled all four sets on eyes on the mechanical hound.

Shadow crouched and charged up his cannons again, watching the power levels of his core drop a few percent as he poured much more power into the attack. If this thing could regenerate, then he simply needed to hit it faster than it could heal. He turned his head to look at the equines hiding at the edge of the clearing, barking out a single word as the plasma around his cannons reached the size of basket balls.

“RUN!!”

Twilight was jerked out of her shock as the wolf yelled something at her and the others but was too engrossed in the events happening before her to pay the sound much mind. Not only had the wolf somehow sprouted weapons that could pierce a hydra’s hide, they could actually slow down its healing factor, something that not even Princess Celestia’s magic could accomplish with such ease. Hydras were known as one of the most formidable creatures within the Everfree Forest, with nearly impenetrable scales and a magic resistance that made dragons look like pushovers. Not to mention the nasty habit they had of growing extra heads if one were foolish enough to try and remove one of them.

The others were just as gob-smacked as she was, Rainbow being forced to land as her wings locked up from the sheer awe, while Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack simply stood with their jaws hanging low. Pinkie was strangely the only one that wasn’t frozen stiff, and that was because she was too busy calling out to the mechanized wolf in a voice that would normally have been seen on the sidelines of a hoofball game.

“You can do it Wolfie!” She cried as the massive balls of blue energy racketed away from the machine and impacted the hydra in the upper sections of its chest, “Kick that hydra into next week.” She made sound effects like the events in front of them were being depicted in a comic book, punching the air with her forehooves and jumping about like a pogo stick as the hydra’s hide sizzled and melted under the intense heat of the wolf’s attack.

For a moment, it seemed that the wolf had done actual damage to the hydra, the gaping hole in its chest trailing smoke and long lines of bright green blood, only to slowly begin healing as the beast charged forwards and into the clearing. Two of the heads snapped at the mechanical hound but munched on nothing but dirt as the wolf leaped out of the way.

A small silver speck was strafing the hydra’s heads, although Twilight couldn’t make it out clearly because of how fast it was going. Somehow, she managed to keep her eyes locked on the battle raging before her, the gears of her mind running a mile a minute as she tried to figure out what was going on. She could tell the weapons on the wolf’s shoulders weren’t using magic, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it was they were firing if that was the case. It was certainly generating a lot of heat, if the scalded flesh and the smell of boiling blood was anything to go by.

Then, just as the wolf seemed to be getting the upper hoof on the hydra, it stopped moving and squared its legs as if it were going to charge the massive serpent. Twilight gasped as the light in front of the twin weapons grew to almost impossibly bright levels and watched with helpless horror as the hydra took advantage of the wolf’s immobile state and lunged forward with all its might.

Shadow knew his options were limited. He couldn’t do anything to hurt the creature permanently, and with the equines so close, he couldn’t use any of his more powerful weapons for fear of collateral damage. Not to mention the complete lack of harm his cannons were managing to inflict upon the titanic reptile, unless he counted ticking the thing off as a wound. The falcon scout was less then useless to him, no longer even acting as a distraction as the beast lunged at him once more with two of its heads, forcing him to dodge or else risk getting crushed by its jaws.

Then, as if his processors had been working over the problem in hyperdrive, he came to a possible conclusion, although if it failed, he would be destroyed with almost complete certainty. Yet it was the only idea he had that posed any chance of success, and thus he slid to a halt and charged up his cannons with as much power as they could handle. His power core dropped another six percent as the cannons’ charge reached critical mass, and he stood perfectly still as the enraged reptile lunged for him with gaping jaws. Waiting for the last possible moment, Shadow bunched his legs, and leaped into the open maw of the beast, feeling the mighty creature’s jaws close in around him before his optics were plunged into darkness. He could tell the beast had swallowed him by the tight confines of his surroundings, the heat of the plasma in his cannons burning the flesh of its throat on his way down as he waited for his chance. He was only going to get one shot, so he had to make it count or else none of them were going to get out of this situation alive. He shut off the feed from the falcon and focused all of his processors on his auditory sensors, trying to locate the one thing that he hoped would put the beast down for good.

Author's Note

Well here we go again, charging into the action and then leaving things up to your imagination as to how things will end up. I know I'm a terrible person for leaving you with something like this, but i just couldn't resist. Plus, it finally allows me to use this lovely little clip. It's something I've been wanting to use for a while now but it never fit the end of a chapter quite as well as this one. So, here you go,

Also, leave a like, follow if you wish, and comment to your heart's content. I'll see you all next chapter, or maybe I won't. :rainbowwild:
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

4 - ...The Harder the Cleanup

Twilight stared in open-mouthed horror at the descending bulge that used to be the mechanical wolf as it travelled down the hydra’s neck and into the bulk of its body. Her legs were frozen in fear and her eyes were shrunk to pinpricks as she tried to formulate what had just happened and why. The wolf had seemed to be far too agile to get caught by the hydra’s clumsy attacks, and yet for some improbable reason, it had simply stopped and let the monster gulp in down in a single bite without putting up any kind of resistance. A glance to either side showed that Rarity was in a similar state while Rainbow and Applejack were fit to burst from a combination of fear and fury, their bodies coiled like springs in preparation to attack. Fluttershy was sobbing into Pinkie’s chest as the normally peppy pony’s hooves stroked the distraught pegasus between her wings, her usually springy mane hanging limp over her shoulders as tears threatened to break free from her own eyes.

Yet, as the hydra turned to face them, it seemed to pause, a look of confusion coming over its faces as it looked down at its midsection. Twilight’s shock and fear swiftly followed the large reptile’s example as a deep rumbling began to emanate from the hydra’s stomach, the flesh between its legs roiling and shifting as a pained expression overcame the hydra’s faces.

At first it looked like nothing was really happening except for some stomach problems, given the hydra had eaten a creature entirely made up of metal, but as the rumbling got louder, Twilight’s eyes expanded in awe as a single beam of bright blue energy exploded out of the hydra’s hide and began to burn a larger hole through the reptile’s flesh. The monster roared in agony as more and more beams joined the first, pointing in every direction from within the creature’s belly as the great beast lifted its heads to the sky and thrashed its tail across the ground. Finally, as the beams reached numbers exceeding two dozen, the unthinkable happened. The hydra’s body began to expand from the inside out, ballooning outward as the beams grew thicker and thicker. Twilight shielded herself and the others as the heat from the energy beams reached uncomfortable levels and covered her face with a hoof as the light became too much for her eyes to take.

Then, with a mighty discharge of light and heat, the hydra exploded into hundreds of pieces, the chunks of flesh flying far and wide as smaller pieces splattered against the pink dome that protected the cowering ponies. Pools of sizzling green blood followed the hunks of meat as the clearing and every plant in sight was covered in the super-heated goo, leaving all but the most resilient of flora withered and black from the intense temperatures.

Twilight lowered the shield as the pieces of hydra that had collected on the dome’s surface dropped to the ground with a cascade of sickening plops, her eyes taking in the spectacle before her with disbelieving wonder. None of the hunks of flesh that remained were any larger than a pony’s leg, the shear force and power of the explosion tearing its massive body apart like tissue paper as the energy discharge ripped bone and muscle apart with equal prejudice. And through it all, the only thing that remained, was a small, blackened blob that had been in the epicenter of the explosion.

With careful steps, Twilight moved towards the center of the blackened grass and steaming hunks of meat, doing her best not to vomit as the smell of cooked flesh met her nose in a solid wave of nauseating proportions. One hoof was held over her nose as she walked up to the black mass that remained in the epicenter of the energy discharge, and her eyes widened as a gasp escaped her mouth when she made out what it was.

Lying on one side, its metal plating scorched and blackened by the power of the attack, was the mechanical wolf, its once bright red eyes now flickering as its body twitched and jerked like it was having a seizure. Unable to do anything to help, or even possessing the capability to form coherent thoughts, Twilight was left to stare in both wonder and a great measure of fear as the wolf’s eyes stabilized, its head slowly lifting up to look at her as its body stopped spasming and rolled onto its stomach. Her body acting on instinct, she backed away and tucked her tail between her hind legs as the mechanized hound slowly stood up, its head swiveling around to take in the destruction it had caused before returning to her shaking form.

Twilight could hear the other girls behind her as they raced into the debris field towards the duo, but Twilight knew it wasn’t going to be of any help if their companion decided to do anything threatening. She had seen the raw power of its weapons, and the most terrifying thing of all, it had all been done without a trace of magic. A hydra, one of the deadliest and nearly unstoppable creatures known to pony kind, had been completely obliterated by the machine before her without any magical assistance at all. The very thought scared her to no end, and she felt herself backing up several more steps as the other girls fell in at either of her sides. The sextuplet of mares watched as the wolf slowly turned towards them and waited on baited breath to see what it would do next. After what they had just seen, none of them were very confident on its peaceful intentions, although none of them had the clarity of thought to try and formulate a plan of escape or defense. They prepared to do whatever it took to defend themselves and the rest of Equestria if this machine turned out to be a threat, even though none of them were very hopeful of coming out of the encounter alive after what they had just seen.

The wolf looked to each of the mares in turn, its head tilted to one side as if confused, before turning to take in the destruction around them once again. It seemed to come to some kind of conclusion as its head nodded ever so slightly, before it returned its attention to the quivering ponies before it. Then, just as it had done back in the castle, it laid down on the ground and placed it head on its forepaws, doing everything in its capabilities to make itself seem small and unthreatening.

Twilight shared a confused look with her friends before turning her attention back to the machine, her expression hopeful as she took a hesitant step forward, “You’re not going to hurt us?”

Shadow could tell that the equines were scared of him, terrified even if the quivering limbs and quickened breathing were any indication. Then again, he had just blasted a creature a hundred times their size into small and smoking pieces. He made no move to appear threatening as the purple one stepped forward again, its moves hesitant and its body guarded against possible attack. He simply kept still as the equine glanced over its shoulder at the others before taking another step, bringing it within almost touching distance if they both reached out. Shadow lifted his head slowly, the equine freezing in place for a moment before taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Its fear seemed to dissipate to a certain degree as it took the final step and came to a stop directly in front of Shadow, its eyes locked with his optics as it looked down at him with a slightly tilted head. It said something in its native tongue, which was recorded dutifully by his processors, although he was yet unable to understand what was being said. The being seemed to realize this, placing a hoof against its forehead in a very human-like manner as it closed its ears and muttered under its breath.

After a moment of what appeared to be contemplation, the being opened its eyes and turned its full attention to Shadow, pointing first to itself and then to him, putting both forehooves together and then pointing towards the direction they had previously been travelling. Shadow took a moment to decipher the motions the equine had made, then realized that the being wanted them to continue on their way as a group. He nodded, noting the way the equines all sighed in what could have been relief, although they quickly snapped to attention as the falcon drone came down from its circling flight pattern to land on his back. The purple equine backed up for a moment before pausing, its eyes widening as it slowly walked around his side and inspected the drone in much closer detail. The blue winged equine took to the air and hovered over to his other side, chattering in fast sentences as the purple one replied in a much calmer manner, all recorded by Shadow as the others gathered around him and gazed at the drone with varied levels of interest.

Feeling that they would be more at ease if they moved on from the rather macabre setting he had created, Shadow slowly stood up and began following the trail that the group had originally been following, the others stepping into file on either side and behind him as the drone spread its wings and took to the air in a roar of jet thrust. The blue equine watched the drone disappear above the treetops and narrowed its eyes for a moment before following along, although Shadow noted that the being’s ears were constantly swiveling to follow the drone’s movements above them as its sensors scanned the forest for other possible threats.

They followed the trail for another thirty-seven minutes, according to Shadow’s internal chronometer, before they suddenly reached the edge of the forest and came out into a wide open plain. Shadow’s processors were flooded with new information as the falcon’s sensors picked up a large settlement in the near vicinity, its optics sending Shadow numerous images of small thatch and wood buildings that were arranged in a haphazard way on the south-eastern side of a huge orchard. Life scans picked up at least two hundred beings of similar size and body shape to the six equines accompanying him, and he surmised that this was a settlement belonging to the beings that had discovered him in the castle ruins. Whether or not they were able to provide further data concerning their culture and infrastructure once they got into the small village, he could not say. Yet the equines did seem to be a great deal more relaxed upon leaving the forest, perhaps because of the reduced threat of attack now that they were getting closer to civilization.

Shadow stayed within the center of the group as they journeyed up to the edge of the village, the falcon’s scanners picking up increased activity and movement in their direction as the other equines took note of the approaching band. Calculating that the equines wouldn’t be much of a threat compared to the giant reptile he had just obliterated, he retracted his cannons and allowed the plating of his chassis to cover the weapons once again as they entered the edge of the town. The purple equine took note of his actions as gave what seemed to be an encouraging smile his direction before turning its attention back towards the town. As they made their way into the village itself, many other equines, all in the same dazzling spectrum of colors, approached the group only to stop and stare as their eyes fell upon Shadow in the center of the group. Muttered words were shared between the inhabitants of the village as they made their way further into the town, their eyes locked on his larger form with trepidation and fear as they made a wide-open path for the group to travel through. The purple equine called out to the others and seemed to be attempting to calm the masses, although it did little to change the overall atmosphere that had descended upon the inhabitants as they watched the group make their way down the main road.

Shadow instructed the falcon to remain in overwatch status in case any of the equines became hostile, although he could tell from the scans he had gotten of the local life that the threat to him was minimal at best. The strength it would take to damage his body would far exceed the force these small creatures would be able to produce, and without any adaptations like claws or sharp teeth, the biggest threat they could provide against him would be if they somehow possessed weapons or some other form of attack that could increase their destructive capabilities.

Taking his attention off of the locals for a moment, Shadow allowed his optics to roam over the infrastructure of the buildings surrounding him and was able to determine that the majority of them were indeed made of wooden and thatch construction. There were a few that were sturdier in make, such as the large building that they passed that seemed to be some form of central government, if the official flags and seals upon the door were anything to go by. Although, even that was little more than stone and wood, making Shadow come to the conclusion that these equines hadn’t progressed to the level of metal-based construction, although given his limited data he left the final assessment of the civilization’s tech tier undetermined until he could get a more reliable sample of their capabilities.

The septuplet made their way towards the south side of the village and came to a stop just in front of the most improbable piece of construction Shadow had ever seen. The building before them was literally carved out of a living oak tree, with windows and a door allowing for natural light to enter the interior while a balcony separated some of the branches near the top of the tree. A sign was posted in the ground to the right of the front door with a picture of an open book painted onto its surface. Taking a moment to instruct the falcon to land on the balcony above them, Shadow followed the equines into the seemingly impossible creation as his optics took in the interior of the building in pinpoint detail. A single staircase wound up the far side of the room while the majority of the walls were covered in floor to ceiling bookcases, filled to the brim with books and scrolls of paper. Another door led out the back of the main room and into what Shadow presumed to be living quarters, although he was distracted as the purple equine called out into the interior.

Much to Shadow’s surprise, a second voice replied from above them, causing him to turn his attention to the staircase as a small purple and green reptile waddled down the steps and into the room. It couldn’t have been more then three feet tall, barely coming up to Shadow’s belly in height, although the sharp teeth and claws marked it as a much greater threat then the equines around him, yet his assessment quickly changed when the small being ran up and embraced the purple equine. Clearly, they knew each other and were comfortable being in the same environment, although that still left the question of what the relationship between this reptile and the equines was. It clearly possessed the attributes of a predator but was accepted into the center of a prey-based society with seemingly no problems. Shadow filed away further study of the races of this world into his processors as the purple duo turned to face him, noting that the reptile seemed well aware that he was the more dangerous of the two, if the sudden jerky breath and stiffened movements were any indication.

The equines spoke several comforting words to the reptile, all recorded, and they seemed to have the intended affect on the small being, although it still kept a respectable distance from Shadow as the equines gathered in the center of the room. Shadow watched as the purple equine’s horn began to glow, and his sensors began going haywire as several books on the shelves were enveloped in a similar glow and began floating across the room towards the seated beings.

…Warning....Energy Field Detected...

…Energy Type: Unable to Compute…

…Recommended Action: Evacuation from Affected Area…

Shadow was just beginning to move when the purple equine gasped, the glow around its horn halting as the books lost their glow, falling to the floor in a heap as they were once again subject to the force of gravity. Not a single being moved as Shadow processed what had just happened, his processers working overtime trying and failing to decipher what his sensors had been telling him. Yet nothing was adding up. The energy produced by the equine hadn’t been all that strong, yet it had been enough to move almost a dozen pounds of literature through the air in complete ignorance of gravity. His logic circuits were working overtime trying to come up with a reason how and why the equine had been able to do what he had just witnessed, but it just kept looping back to the same non-answers that the data was providing. Somehow, the books had been moved through a gravitational field without being subjected to an outside force, such as a thruster or some such, and had been under the complete control of the purple equine as indicated by the glow present on both the books and the being’s horn. Finally, Shadow’s processors couldn’t take it anymore, and his hypercore activated, compartmentalizing the data and breaking the logic loop his processors had been locked into. He took a step backwards and locked his optics on the purple equine, its eyes narrowing in fear as he slowly moved towards the group. The others got up and stepped into his way, their movements guarded and their eyes wide with fear, but Shadow did nothing other than walk up and inspect the books the equine had selected.

At first it looked like they were basic picture books, but as Shadow flipped the pages with one of his paws, he noticed that there were symbols on each page corresponding with the image. The problem of the unknown energy set aside for now, Shadow diverted all of is processing power to cataloging and organizing the data his optics were providing him. As he moved further through the book, he saw that the symbols were now being put together into what looked like words, and in an instant Shadow realized what it was the equines had planned to do. This was a book intended to teach the basics of their written language, and as he scanned over the rest of the books, he saw that they progressed into higher levels of complexity before breaking off into what seemed to be different subjects. Shadow turned to face the purple equine and indicated the book with a jerk of his head, its eyes widening in understanding as he tapped the word with a claw.

The equine walked up and sat down next to him, Shadow following its example as it tapped the word with a hoof, speaking a single word that Shadow filed and linked with the letters that created the word. He repeated the word back at the equine and it nodded with a brilliant smile. It flipped the page with a hoof and tapped the next word, speaking it aloud once again for him as he filed away the information. Already his processors were linking the sounds to the written letters and translating what little he could of the conversations he had recorded. Given what he already knew, it looked like the equines operated on a phonetic alphabet the same way the humans did, at least compared to the American written system. This allowed him to make some extrapolations on what information he already had and created a possible translation of the word on the following page. Before the equine was able to speak, he tapped the word with a paw and spoke his calculated response, looking at the equine for confirmation as its head jerked up to look at him.
If the wide eyes and slack jaw were anything to go by, he had probably been correct with his calculations.

Twilight stared in starstruck wonder at the machine sitting next to her. Her brain ran at a million miles a minute as she tried to fathom the speed at which this machine, this hunk of metal and circuitry, had already begun to learn their language. It was unbelievable. Barely five minutes with a foal’s learning book and it had already begun to expand on the basic knowledge it had been given, and it seemed that it would only progress faster once it got more data.

Feeling a giddy smile crossing her face, she turned back to the book and flipped the page, tapping the word under the picture with a hoof but remaining silent, hopeful that the machine could make the right translation again.
The mechanical hound looked down at the page for a moment, its eyes flickering slightly before it turned to look back at her. Twilight’s face fell as the wolf shook its head once, and she realized that the word before them hadn’t included any of the letters that the previous words had. Thus, if it was operating off of a translation, it wouldn’t have anything to work with.

Twilight sighed as she flipped back to the beginning of the book, presenting the first letter in the Equestrian alphabet underneath a picture of a large red apple. She tapped it with a hoof and looked up at the wolf once again, its focus leveled on her as the others began filing out through the front door. Twilight paid them no mind as her friends left to their own business, barely taking any note of their departure as Spike returned to whatever it was he had been doing upstairs. Her brain was entirely centered on teaching this machine how to speak their language, and with Celestia as her witness she wasn’t going to stop until it could talk just like any other pony.

“A is for apple.” She said with patience, knowing this might be a lot more difficult than she had first expected. Highly advanced or not, this was still a machine before her, and all machines needed information in order to expand on what they were capable of. No number of shortcuts would allow for any reliable results if she wanted to get anywhere with this new experiment.

“A is for apple.” The machine repeated, tapping the letter with a paw and then tapping the picture above it.

Its eyes flickered once again, and Twilight flipped the page to the next image, hoping against hope that this wouldn’t turn into another three-day sleepless project. Spike had already warned her about doing that again, although at this point and time she was very tempted to do exactly that. The thought of a machine that could think and act on its own was simply too much to resist, and she felt her lips curling into a smile once again as she tapped the next letter.

“B is for banana.” She intoned, settling in for the long haul as the machine repeated what she had just said.
She glanced out of the library’s window and saw that that Celestia’s sun was already sinking towards the horizon and realized that there were only a few hours left until nightfall. She contemplated pausing their lesson until the following morning but pushed that thought aside as she flipped the page once again.

“We’ll stop once we finish learning the alphabet.” She promised to herself, “Then I’ll get some sleep.”

If only the purple mare had known what was going to happen the following day, she would have probably tried to get some sleep. Needless to say, as the local star rose above the horizon the following morning, Shadow heard movement coming from upstairs, and glanced over his shoulder as he spied the small reptile, now classified as an adolescent dragon, travelled down the stairs into the main room of the library. Shadow turned his attention back to the book before him, tracked the drake’s movement with his ears without taking his optics off of the hand, or rather, hoof-written pages, scanning through the next chapter at a rapid pace as his processors added more and more words to his exponentially expanding vocabulary.

Finally, as he finished the current chapter on pegasus wing characteristics, he turned his attention to the small dragon. He noticed that the drake was trying to remain stealthy in his movements, although the click of his claws against the wooden floor did little to aid his endeavor, although he paused in his careful steps when he noticed that Shadow was looking at him instead of the book.

“Good morning young drake.” Shadow said in what he hoped was correct Equish, “My designation is CW04, but you can refer to me by my nickname, Shadow, if you so prefer.” He tilted its head to one side as the dragon gaped at the him, “Did I say something wrong? I am certain I programed the translation matrix properly.”

The baby dragon’s eyes rolled up in the back of his head and he fell over onto his back in what looked like a faint, so Shadow performed a quick scan to verify the small dragon was unharmed. Satisfied that the drake had not come to any harm other than losing consciousness, Shadow glanced over his shoulder at the slumbering equine, now classified by the local terminology as a unicorn mare and tilted his head in slight confusion.

“Was it something I said?” He asked the room, not expecting an answer but vocalizing his question anyway as his processors tried to compute the last few minutes and why the small dragon had reacted that way.

Receiving no reply from the two unconscious natives, he returned to the book on pony anatomy and flipped through the rest of the volume as the local star began to rise into the sky. He wasn’t really sure how the natives, or ponies, as they called themselves, would react to his mission and purpose for coming to this world, but he found a small part of his processors looping over and over around the hypothetical event of their being outwardly hostile against him and the human race.

Had Shadow been an organic being, he might have realized that the loop in his processors would have been easily translated as worry, although he wouldn’t come to understand this until much later. By that point, things would have gone in a very different direction from what Shadow could have ever imagined, and as the days drew closer to when the portal would open once again, Shadow would be faced with a choice. One that could very well define the rest of his existence.

Author's Note

Yay, I'm over that blasted cold that has been making my life miserable for the last week!!! So, here is the latest chapter for all of you to enjoy! Hope the lack of diologue wasn't too big of an issue, although given the language barrier I'm sure you can understand why it is that conversation might have been a bit lacking. I tried to make it so that way Shadow's programing wouldn't be too overpowered, but I also wanted to have him be a sufficiently advanced A.I. so that way he can interact with the ponies without making it seem like he's a dumb machine.

Hope things are coming out as I had hoped, and I look forward to hearing what you think in the towel section below. As usual, leave a like, follow if you so desire, and make sure to have fun.

I'll see you all next capter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

5 - Talking to Royalty

Shadow paid the two out cold beings little mind as he scoured through book after book, his processors growing warm from the effort of going through all the new information, not just to increase his vocabulary, but also to understand and catalogue what he was learning. He set aside a portion of his power to go over and translate all of the dialogue that he had recorded since meeting the ponies, and what he was discovering was that there were things at work in this new world that the human mind couldn’t fathom. His hypercore threatened to override his processors many times when the physics of how this world worked just wouldn’t add up, such as the ability to control the weather that all pegasi seemed to have as an inherent part of their physiology. Not to mention the physical impossibilities that the unicorns, and by extension the alicorn rulers, seemed to have at their every whim. Teleportation? Gravity manipulation? Time travel?! The very idea that creatures that seemed to have barely cracked the industrial revolution could have such power at their disposal was nearly enough to overload his central processing unit.

It was only after pouring over every possible explanation as to how these inconsistencies could happen, roughly fifteen quadrillion if his internal computer was giving him accurate numbers, that with great reluctance Shadow simply had to conclude this world, and by extension its inhabitants, operated on a different set of rules compared to those of his creators. So, as he folded the cover of his latest read closed, he sat back and looked about the room, as if seeing it for the very first time. His mind was awash with data and hypothetical applications for what he had learned, but it all added up to nothing due to the fact that the human race would likely never be able to harness this energy the ponies called ‘magic’. It was hardwired into their very biology, evidence that it had been a driving force from the early days of their evolution up until the present. Something humans could not attest to.

Shadow pulled himself from his thoughts as the sound of the purple mare moving behind him reached his audio receptors. He looked over his shoulder as the unicorn lifted her head from the stack of books she had been resting her head upon, her mane in shambles and her eyes drooping as she rubbed her face with a hoof.

“Ugh,” she groaned as she blinked several times before looking about the room, “that’s the last time I stay up all night without bringing a pillow to sleep on afterwards. Spike!” She called out in a louder tone, apparently not noticing the passed-out dragon behind her, “Come down for breakfast!”

Shadow was about to correct her when the drake stirred from his slumber, his grumbling catching the attention of the mare as she spun around to stare at him, “Spike? What are you doing on the floor?”

The now named dragon lifted his head from the floor and held one side of it with a clawed hand, his eyes fluttering open as the mare walked up to him and helped to stand him up, “What, what happened?” He looked up at his unicorn companion, “Twilight? Oh boy, I had the strangest dream last night,” he glanced around the room, “although that doesn’t explain why I’m on the first floor.” His eyes traveled around the open space before coming to a halt on Shadow, his eyes widening in recognition as he grabbed onto Twilight’s foreleg with one claw and pointed at the mechanical wolf with the other. “T-Twilight. T-The wolf. I-I-I-It talked to me last night. I swear it introduced itself to me when I came downstairs.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Oh Spike, you must have been sleepwalking. We barely got into short phrases last night. There’s no way the machine could have learned to speak in that short amount of time.”

“Actually, that is incorrect.” Shadow interjected, much to the apparent shock of the other two present, “I have assimilated roughly fifty-three thousand individual words and their meanings, as well as catalogued information referencing your culture, biology and societal structure contained within the five hundred eighty-six million, seven hundred and thirty-four thousand words written within the four hundred sixty-two volumes I scanned through the course of the night. The ability to speak fluent Equish is a simple task in comparison.”

For a moment neither Twilight or Spike moved, their jaws hanging low as they stared at Shadow. Then, like a switch being flipped, Twilight dropped the drake back to the floor and began rambling to herself at a rapid pace as she ripped through the piles of books around them in search of something. Spike sat back up with an annoyed expression as the mare seemed to lose herself in madness, standing up and walking over to the thoroughly perplexed machine as he watched the unicorn race about like a hyperactive child.

“Is there something wrong with your companion?” Shadow asked as the drake stood at his side, both of their gazes locked on the mare as books flew around in a halo of magenta energy and her mouth sputtered nonsense at blinding speeds.

“Yeah, she gets like this sometimes when she discovers something really interesting.” Spike replied as he shrugged his shoulders, “There’s no real way to stop her once she gets going. The best thing to do is to wait her out and help her focus once she calms down.”

Shadow glanced at the smaller being with interest, “You seem familiar with this sort of behavior, yet you are young for a member of your kind. How many times has your companion gotten like this?”

Spike chuckled as Twilight finally spent her energy and collapsed in a mountain of scrolls and books, her legs twitching in the air as she laid on her back in the middle of the literary disaster, “Too many times to count. She’s gotten better, but I think you brought it out of her because of the shock of hearing you speak.” He walked up to the comatose unicorn and tapped her between the eyes.

Twilight opened her eyes and groaned as she sat up, scrolls falling from her body as she got her hooves back under her, “Oh dear, I did it again, didn’t I?”

Spike nodded, indicating the sheer mountain of words and paper around them, “You went all crazy study mode on us and we had to sit and watch for about,” he glanced at the clock that was resting on the far wall, “ten minutes while you got your brain back in order.”

The mare’s cheeks flushed a vibrant red as she stood up fully, averting her gaze as she walked back over to Shadow, “Sorry about that, it’s just that the very idea of this machine being that advanced is a scientific breakthrough!” She danced around for a moment in excitement before looking up at Shadow’s face with star-struck eyes, “Think of what we could learn from this machine if we could understand how it was built. Think of the advancements to Equestrian industry if we could make others like it.” She sat back on her haunches and clapped her forehooves together as she let out a high squeal, “This could be the single greatest discovery of our history!”

She let out a gasp as her eyes widened, “Quick, send a letter to Princess Celestia. She’ll need to hear about all we’ve seen and what we’ve learned over the past few days.”

Spike gave a crisp salute and pulled out a quill with one claw, his other producing a scroll as he dipped the feather in a nearby inkwell, “Ready when you are, Twilight.”

Twilight cleared her throat before speaking, Spike recording her words onto the scroll as Shadow listened with interest. If this mare was in direct communication with one of the rulers of the nation, then it would be a foolish mistake not to record her missive for future reference.

“Dear Princess Celestia, I am writing to you today with very important news that I feel requires your immediate attention. While there is no direct threat to Ponyville or the nation as a whole, the gravity of this discovery is far too great to leave you unaware. Two days ago, Rainbow Dash and I were startled in the middle of our morning routines by a terrifying roar that emanated from within the Everfree Forest. Fearing that there was a monster on the loose, the girls and I made a trip into the woods to ensure the threat did not get close to the town, at least as long as we were able to do so without great risk to ourselves. Yet when we came upon the source of the roar within the halls of your old castle, we were shocked to find not some terrible monster, but a machine that was constructed in a similar manner to the Timberwolves that call the forest home.

Believing the machine to be harmless after it failed to harm us or threaten our group, we spent the night in the castle while watching over the machine to make sure it didn’t cause any trouble. Yesterday morning we made our way back to town but were stopped by a hydra that had wandered out of Foggy Bottom Bog, most likely investigating the roar like we were. We made an attempt to escape but were unable to lose the monster, yet when all hope seemed lost, the machine did something amazing. Two weapons of great power sprouted from within its body, attacking the hydra to defend us with powerful blasts that somehow had no magic signature at all! Isn’t that amazing?! Attacks that can not only wound, but ended up destroying the hydra entirely, and all without a trace of magic!” She cleared her throat before continuing in a more neutral tone, “With the hydra taken care of, we made our way back to town where we returned to our homes. I took it upon myself to teach the machine how to speak our language after it showed the capacity to learn in the Castle of the Two Sisters, and to my utter amazement, I woke up this morning to discover that the machine had not only learned how to speak but had read through over four hundred volumes of literature in an effort to expand upon the information I had given it.”

Twilight paused for a moment to allow Spike to catch up to her, the dragon giving her a nod to continue as he pulled out a second scroll, “In any case, I wanted to inform you of these developments and request that you reply at your earliest convenience. I am a bit lost as to what our next steps should be, and I await your instructions with the utmost patience. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twi-light, Spar-kle.” Spike echoed as he signed the letter with a flourish.

Shadow watched as the dragon rolled up the scrolls and then sealed them with a ribbon, sucking in a deep breath before blowing a large pillar of green flames over the missive. Shadow’s processors ground to a halt as the ash created by the flames flew up and out one of the open windows instead of falling to the floor like it should have, his sensors picking up a surge of the energy called ‘magic’ before it faded into the distance. Filing his observations away for further inquiry, Shadow turned to the duo and was about to speak when Spike’s cheeks bulged out. A second burst of flames erupted from his mouth as a loud burp escaped, the fire somehow changing into another scroll as Shadow picked up another surge of ‘magic’. Yet this was not the same scroll that had been burned up before, as evident by the golden seal that held the bright red ribbon in place as Twilight grabbed it with her telekinesis.

“See,” she stated with a slightly smug grin, “I knew she’d want to get on top of things as soon as possible.” She unrolled the scroll and began reading out loud, “To my faithful student, while I am tempted to reprimand you for running off into the Everfree without knowing what it was you faced, I know you did what you thought was right to protect the town and its residents with what you knew at the time. For that, you have my gratitude, as I am not always able to respond in times of need when courtly duties take up my attention. I heard the roar you speak of all the way here in the castle, and I was tempted to see to the problem myself before I realized that you and the girls were most likely already investigating it. While I am happy to hear that it was not some great monster that could attack the town, the fact that you discovered this machine, as well as its capabilities, makes me nervous.”

Twilight cast a disbelieving look Spike’s way as the drake did the same, both looking up at Shadow before Twilight returned to the letter, “Given its unknown nature, as well as the power you described to me, I fear that this machine may be a threat greater than some common monster. I caution you to keep it away from other ponies. I will be their shortly to investigate the situation myself. Do not let the machine leave the library, and whatever you do, take no actions that could be perceived as a threat to the automaton or its mission, whatever that may be. Anything that can take down a hydra is something to be treated with the utmost care, especially because of how little we know. Please be careful, my faithful student, and I will be there shortly. Princess Celestia.”

The scroll fell to the floor as Twilight and Spike stared at Shadow with expressions bordering on fear, the mechanized wolf taking note of their guarded body language and their increased heart rates as they slowly moved back towards the far wall.

Shadow let out a hiss of steam that could have been called a sigh, “You do not need to fear me. I am not here to harm you or any of your kind.”

His words seemed to have little effect as the mare’s horn began to glow, a dome of energy forming around the duo as a second barrier sealed the openings around the outside of the building. Shadow noted that the energy had been focused on the windows and doors, leaving the walls unprotected should the need to escape arise, but at the moment he could detect no threat from the fearful pony and drake. He simply sat down in the middle of the room and waited, thinking about the message and how it might have been sent from the unicorn to the ruler of the nation and back again in such a short amount of time. The idea of instant messaging over distance was a digital age level technology, yet this ‘magic that the ponies seemed to have mastered had enabled them to cut corners where their technology was lacking. It made for some very interesting hypothesis in his processors, although his computations were interrupted as a blinding flash filled the room and his sensors went into overload. His optics adjusted to the fading light quickly as he turned to face the source of the energy, although he was not prepared for what he saw now standing in the room with him.

Standing a little more than a foot above his own height, was a pure white alicorn mare, with golden regalia and a flowing mane and tail that seemed to be infused with raw ‘magic’. Her large wings folded against her sides as her bright rose eyes moved around the room, quickly taking in the shielded duo in the corner and the sealed-off openings around them. Her eyes narrowed as they leveled on Shadow, although she made no moves to attack or retreat as she spoke in a warm and motherly voice.

“Has the machine done anything to harm you or Spike?” She asked, her eyes still locked on Shadow as Twilight replied.

“Umm, no Princess, it’s been perfectly well behaved the entire time it’s been in town. I only made these shields because of your warning about what it could do.” A hoof came up and she smacked herself in the face as she growled under her breath, “What was I thinking, bringing a machine that blew an adult hydra into pieces back to Ponyville without any idea what it might do?” She let out a sigh as her gaze traveled back to the Princess, “I’m sorry for not thinking. It’s just I was so excited about learning what this machine could do that I forgot to think about what might happen if it was a threat. Can you forgive me, Princess?”

Celestia chuckled softly, her eyes softening slightly as she glanced over at the downtrodden unicorn, “You have nothing to be sorry about. You were caught up in the excitement of something new and wonderful. I cannot fault you for being who you are, or have you forgotten the times I had to drag you out of the Archives when you were a filly because you got wrapped up in a new research project?”

Spike giggled as Twilight’s cheeks flushed pink, “Don’t remind me. But, wait a minute,” her face fell slightly as she glanced between the alicorn and Shadow, “what do you plan on doing with the machine?”

Celestia’s gaze turned back to Shadow, although the wolf had made no movements other than to tilt his head slightly in curiosity, “You stated in your letter that the machine had been able to learn our language, is that correct?” Twilight nodded once, “Then I will simply ask it why it has come to our land. Even as advanced as it is, it is still a machine and therefore should be unable to lie. So,” the alicorn’s tone became firm as she spoke to Shadow, “why have you come to the land of Equestria, and where do you originate from?”

Shadow spent a moment to consider his reply. Certainly, he could tell the mare everything, but that could put his creators at risk if the ponies somehow became hostile towards him, and by extension, the human race. So, he decided to give a partial answer, only sharing the most basic of information unless it was otherwise needed.

“I was sent to this world in order to determine if it was suitable for habitation.” Shadow stated smoothly, the eyes of the organics present widening in surprise as he continued, “My creators are an advanced race that have expanded into over a dozen star systems using sophisticated spacecraft. Yet in order to expand beyond their current reach without making more powerful engines, my creators used a similar technology to create portals that could open between their home world and others far beyond the range of their ships. I am one of a dozen exploration scouts that assess if a new world is suitable for colonization before returning to the home world to await my next assignment.”

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in before continuing, his voice taking on a slight edge as he locked gazes with Celestia, “However, just as you fear what I am capable of, so too am I cautious to reveal everything to you. After all, we have not encountered another sapient race before, so any possible interactions between our peoples could rapidly get out of control if one side were to perceive the other as a threat. With that in mind, I will not be revealing the location of the portal I used to get to this world, nor will I be sharing any of my creator’s technological advancements with you. This can be changed once we establish a more stable relationship, but at present I believe there to be too much uncertainty between us to expect full disclosure from either party.”

Celestia stared into Shadow’s optics, as if trying to pick apart his processors with her eyes, before nodding her head once, “Very well. Your logic is sound, and your reasoning is valid. I will not pressure you into revealing your secrets, nor will I make any attempts to take that information by force. You have my word as a co-ruler of Equestria that we only seek peaceful relations with all races, be they of this world or not. In time I hope we can build a basis of trust so that our peoples might be able to trade between one another, but for now I think it would be best if you were allowed to perform your primary function.” Her eyes narrowed as she asked her next question, “You stated that you had never encountered another race when exploring worlds, yet you also stated that your purpose is to provide insight into if a world is habitable for your creators. Now that you know this world is inhabited, what will you tell your masters?”

“Given this is an unprecedented situation,” Shadow replied immediately, “I cannot say with certainty how my creators will react to this information. Some may see this as a chance to establish relations as you do, others may be tempted to take what they want by force. The human race is a very dichotomous species that can be illogical in its choices, although the majority of them would be considered compassionate and willing to learn that which they do not know. I am not programmed to act as an ambassador, given the possibility of sapient life being discovered was next to nonexistent. However, I am authorized to act as a communicator, slim as that possibility was, and will act as an intermediary between your race and the humans if you so choose. I will pass on what I learn here to my creators once the portal is open, and I will then follow their instructions on how to proceed from there.”

Celestia nodded once again, turning her attention to Twilight as the mare dropped the shields covering her and the room around them, “I believe this machine is peaceful in its intentions. However, I think it would be best if he is kept within the limits of Ponyville until we can learn more about the situation.”

“My designation is CW04,” Shadow interjected, “but my creators nicknamed me Shadow if that is more to your liking.”

“Ooh, that’s a cool name.” Spike spoke up as he walked over and gazed at Shadow with wonder, “So you’re some kind of alien robot sent here to see if our world is okay for your creators?” Shadow nodded, and the dragon wilted slightly, “You’re not gong to suck our brains out and control our bodies like puppets, are you?”

Shadow’s processors ground to a halt at the dragon’s words, the sheer illogical thinking that could have lead to his statement brining the mechanical hound up short, “I do not understand the question. Why would we ever do something like that?”

Twilight cuffed the drake over the head with a hoof, an annoyed expression on her face while Celestia hid a smile behind a hoof, “Because he reads far too many comic books and has a very warped look on anything based in science fiction. Your creators, these, humans I believe you called them?” Shadow nodded, “They are advanced enough to travel between the stars so naturally Spike’s mind went to the only context we really have pertaining to such levels of technology.” She sent the dragon a stern look as he ducked his head and blushed, “That doesn’t mean he should believe everything he sees in a comic strip when it comes to alien invaders. For one thing, the characters always look like green ponies with weird body parts added onto them. I’m almost certain your creators are nothing like that.”

Shadow nodded his agreement, “Indeed, human culture is rife with stories about alien life, although they have never encountered it until now. I calculate that the reaction to your existence will be met with great interest but also a large degree of caution, given that mankind is very used to the idea of hostile alien invaders in pop culture.”

Celestia smiled as she moved her gaze between Shadow and Twilight, “It would seem things are going to progress smoothly for now. I will take my leave and return to Canterlot. Twilight,” the purple unicorn snapped to attention as the alicorn’s horn lit up with bright gold energy, “give our guest a warm welcome to our land and introduce him to your friends. I’m certain they will be excited to speak with Shadow now that he can communicate with us clearly. Keep me updated on the situation and let me know if anything comes up.”

Twilight’s lips parted in a wide grin as she nodded, “You can count on me, Princess!”

Celestia nodded before turning her gaze back to Shadow, “Make a good impression on my subjects, and I will show the same courtesy to you. Goodbye for now, CW04, but understand that I am keeping an eye on you. I believe that you are not a threat to my little ponies, but if you harm them or threaten them in any way, I will ensure you return to your masters in pieces. Is that understood?”

Shadow bowed his head and neck to the alicorn, “I will do my best to earn your trust, and I will learn all I can to ensure that my creators are given a full understanding of your land when the portal opens once again. I will remain within the limits of this settlement as you have requested and give you my word that I will not become a danger to your people unless I am threatened with damage or destruction. I will not seek to actively harm your subjects, but I will defend myself if necessary.”

Celestia’s gaze hardened for a moment before she nodded, “Very well, but do not resort to lethal measures unless you are fighting a creature that you cannot reason with. Disable the opposing party or retreat from the situation if you must, but do not kill unless there is absolutely no other option. I will not condone murder in my kingdom, and that includes visitors from beyond our world.”

Shadow locked those requirements into his primary directives, making sure to put level one priority on all of them before replying, “Very well. I shall do as you have asked of me. Farewell, Your Highness, and good day.”

Celestia’s lips curled into a smile, her horn glowing brighter as the same blinding flash from before erupted through the room. When the glow faded, Celestia was gone, leaving the only a small scuff mark on the floor to prove she had been present.

Shadow turned to Twilight and indicated the door with a jerk of his head, “So, shall we go and visit the others?”

Twilight beamed as she skipped over to the door, opening it with a wave of her horn as Shadow followed behind, “Absolutely! We can start at Carousel Boutique and see Rarity before heading over to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie must be about ready to burst wanting to throw you your ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’.”

Shadow tuned out the unicorn’s rambling as they traveled through the town, noting that the majority of the population seemed wary of him as they moved down the main road. He had hoped that being fluent in the local language would make his situation a bit easier to handle, but it seemed he had a long way to go before things could be called peaceful between himself and the ponies of Equestria.

…Power Core: 82%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 07:13:47:12…11…10…9…

Author's Note

Well, here we are with the second chapter of my 2nd Anniversary Chapter Marathon. Hope you all are enjoying the book so far, because i plan on getting more done over the coming days.

So, what did you think of Shadow's first conversation with ponies? Was it good, was it bad, or was it somewhere in the middle? Tell me what you think and I'll take your comments into consideration as I move forward. After all, an author can never stop improving the quality of their work, and your critiques are a huge part of that process.

Also, I have a Patreon now if any of you want to support me and my work. Feel free to check it out and see what I have to offer, and I hope to see some of you there in the future if that is what you choose to do.

Wishing you all the best, and praying for more chapter ideas in the coming days, I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

6 - Meeting the Bearers

The trip through town was an exercise in patience for Shadow, because every step he took he saw another local pony run for their lives or slam a door behind them as they hid inside their homes. Twilight seemed oblivious to all of this as she rambled on to no one in particular, although Shadow at least recorded her words for later if he felt the need to review what she had been saying. From what he heard in passing, she was going over the history of the town, and while interesting information, not something he really needed to know for his mission. He was prioritizing mapping the town instead, not outright ignoring the purple unicorn, but not allowing her long-winded speech to overload his processors either.

Yet all of that came to a screeching halt as they arrived at their first destination, and if Shadow had ever seen a more literal translation from architecture to building name, this had to be the biggest joke of all of them.

Standing before the duo, was a building that looked every part a carousel, right down to the little ponies on a pole that had been painted onto the outer walls of the store. From top to bottom the construction looked more like what one would find in a carnival, not sitting in the middle of a perfectly ordinary town. Yet Twilight seemed to take it all in stride, walking up to the door before glancing over her shoulder at Shadow.

“Well, are you coming or what?” She asked as she pushed the door open with a quick application of ‘magic’.

Shadow chose to do the same thing he had been doing a lot concerning this world and filed away that which he couldn’t understand in a subroutine that was rapidly growing to the point of needing extra folders to keep everything organized. He followed Twilight into the store and found that the entirety of the sales floor was filled with mannequins dressed up in rather complex and expensive-looking clothing. Given Shadow had yet to see any of the ponies other than Celestia wearing any kind of clothes, this leap in logic proved difficult for Shadow to process. Then again, perhaps these creatures simply didn’t wear clothing on a normal basis but instead used them for special occasions. That would certainly explain the literal diamonds that had been sewn directly into some of the more elaborate dresses.

The duo was alone for the moment, although Shadow had heard a bell ring as they had entered, and after a minute and six seconds, the white unicorn with the curled mane and tail he had met before walked in from a side room. A pair of red reading glasses were perched on her muzzle, although she removed them with a glow of ‘magic’ as she turned towards the pair.

“Oh, good morning, Twilight.” She stated in a rather posh tone, “I hadn’t expected you to be out and about for at least another two days.” Her eyes narrowed in concern as she glanced at Shadow, “What seems to be the matter, darling, running into trouble teaching this machine how to speak our language?”

Twilight opened her mouth, but Shadow beat her to it, using some of the more formal unicorn speech he had learned, given the sophisticated mannerisms of their host, “Far be it from me to interrupt, but I think it would be a more prudent course of action to point out that I can indeed speak your language. Although it took the majority of the night to read through the necessary material, I have become fluent enough in Equish to understand and communicate in most situations.”

Rarity’s eyes widened as she gasped, “Oh, darling, you certainly are a gentlecolt for being so polite. Please,” she bowed her head to the cybernetic hound as she folded a foreleg under her chest, “forgive me for my crass behavior. I had no idea you were such a quick study.”

Twilight chose to step into the conversation at that point, beaming at the other unicorn in excitement as she spoke, “I know! Isn’t it amazing?! One night in the library and Shadow is already fluent in Equish. I can only imagine what else he could do given enough time and information.”

“Shadow?” Rarity turned her attention back to the wolf in question, “Is that his name? I honestly thought it would be more, eh, numeric in nature given his, um, mechanical origins, shall we say.”

“My true designation is CW04,” Shadow replied, “My creators gave me the nickname Shadow to make it easier for them and others to interact with me and my fellow scouts. I believe it is a part of human nature to give everything a name, whether it needs one or not.”

“Yes, well, they certainly gave you a good name,” Rarity said as she looked him up and down, “what with your black armor and such. Although,” she walked up and inspected his plating with a hoof, pulling it back to reveal her leg had been stained partly black by soot and ash, “this burn residue doesn’t flatter your design all that much. Would you be averse to allowing me to clean your armor? Free of charge of course.”

Shadow tilted his head slightly as he tried to process her request, “Why would you need to do that? I am perfectly capable of functioning at optimum capacity with the residue on my armor. It will not hinder my mission in any way for it to remain on my body.”

“Because when you meet new ponies the first thing they see is how well kept you are,” Rarity countered, “whether or not you are clean and healthy is a big part of what ponies will think of you. Not to mention it would do wonders if you didn’t smell like burnt hydra when you walked through town.”

Shadow nodded once, although he did not need to be cleaned, he could understand the necessity of catering to the local standards. After all, he might not be able to smell the cooked hydra blood covering his armor, but if the ponies could then it would be foolish of him to do nothing when the offer stood right in front of him.

“Very well,” he acquiesced, “I will accept you offer and let you clean my armor. You need not worry about damaging it, so use whatever tools you deem necessary in order to remove the offending residue and scent.” He glanced around the room as Rarity rushed back through the doorway she had come through, although he was pulled from his inspection of the space as Twilight got right up in his face and inspected his body with a critical eye.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Shadow inquired as the unicorn poked and prodded at his armor in seemingly random places.

She seemed to realize what she was doing and stepped back with a squeak, “I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m so curious how you function. How does your body move like it does? How can you have the same computing power as a living being without the use of magic? How in Celestia’s name did you take down a hydra with just two small cannons?” She growled in frustration as she rubbed the sides of her head with her hooves, “Argh, and the worst part is I can’t get the answers to these questions because of what you and the Princess agreed upon back in the library. It’s just so frustrating.”

Rarity returned before Shadow could come up with a reply to Twilight’s words, although he filed them away in one of his primary directive drives so he wouldn’t forget the importance to Twilight of learning how his world worked. He might not be able to share that information now, but he wouldn’t always be restricted, at least he didn’t think that would be the case. After all, if there was one thing the human race had in common with these ponies, it was learning about the world, or worlds, around them with a fervent passion.

Rarity had in her grip some powerful cleaning agents, a few hard-bristle brushes and a plethora of rags to clean away the excess once she was done. She barely gave Shadow enough time to stand up fully before the boutique was enveloped in a cleaning storm, the place filling with the sounds of scrubbing and frustrated growls as the unicorn took to her task with a furious determination. Shadow actually had to brace against he forces the brushes were putting against his armor at times, and he marveled at the dexterity and coordination the unicorn showcased with her telekinesis as she focused solely on the task before her.

In a matter of minutes, Shadow was left standing in the center of the room, the cleaning supplies levitated back into the other room or thrown in a waste basket as Rarity looked him over with a critical eye. Only after a few touch-ups with one of the spare rags did she nod to herself, “There, all cleaned and ready to go.”

Shadow glanced at himself and marveled at the shine his armor had as he inspected his form in the bay of mirrors on the side wall. He turned this way and that to scan all the different sectors of his armor and could find no trace of residue or scuff marks anywhere on his body. It was as if he had just come off the assembly platform back on Earth, his paint touched up and his metal plating polished to a perfect shine as the sunlight coming in through the windows reflected off of his obsidian armor.

“Wow, Shadow.” Twilight gasped as she walked around him, “You clean up really well.”

“Yes, I quite agree, darling.” Rarity added as she wiped her brow with a hoof, “You certainly look much more presentable now that you no longer look like you’ve been rolling in the ashes of a bonfire. Quite an improvement if I do say so myself.”

Shadow nodded to the both of them as he turned away from his reflection, “I appreciate the gesture, even though it was not necessary for me to function at my best. You still took time and effort out of your day to tend to my needs in order to make me more approachable to the other ponies. For that,” Shadow bowed his head to the white mare as he finished, “you have my gratitude.”

Rarity’s cheeks blushed as she waved him off with a hoof, “Oh stop it you, your flattery is not needed. After all, if one such as you can be polite and courteous to complete strangers, the least I can do is make sure you look as proper and refined as you act.”

“Thanks a lot Rarity,” Twilight said as she directed Shadow out of the shop, “We’ll see you later once we go and meet with the rest of the girls.”

Rarity’s smile took on a slightly devious glint, one that Shadow was quick to notice as they left, his audio receptors picking up her final whisper as they exited the building, “Oh I’m certain we’ll see each other much sooner than you think, my friends.”

They travelled down the main road towards their next stop, although Shadow’s processors were too caught up with Rarity’s final words to notice much of what was going on around him. Could the ponies be setting a trap for them? Were they going to try and get the information he had refused to share back at the library even after he had promised to share it when given authorization? These types of questions rattled around inside his cranial compartment for a while, although it was interrupted by the sound of something flying past overhead at a significant speed.

Shadow looked up and a rainbow contrail spread across the sky over the town as a familiar pegasus powered through the air. Shadow clocked her speed to be roughly one hundred and seventy-six miles per hour, and he was surprised to see such high speeds coming out of an organic with that body size. Normally only falcons could exceed one hundred miles per hour back on the human home world of Earth, although there were rare exceptions. To see something almost a third his size going that speed was a bit of a shock to say the least, not to mention that the books he had read on pegasi had made no mention of those speeds being normal for their race.

Shadow was once more pulled back to reality as the contrail turned sharply and came to a stop above them, the sky-blue mare becoming fully visible as she slowed down to hover overhead, “Sup Twilight? Taking our resident robot out for a walk?”

Twilight rolled her eyes but declined to reply, instead turning to face Shadow with an expectant look.

Thinking he understood what the unicorn was getting at, Shadow stepped up and lifted his muzzle to face the hovering mare, “Greetings. I am CW04, although you may call me Shadow if you wish. I learned how to speak your language last night and Twilight has seen it fit for me to properly introduce myself to her friends after the experiences we shared in the forest.” He tilted is head to one side as the pegasus scratched her head with one hoof, “Was I not clear with my intentions?”

“All I got out of that mumbo jumbo was your name and the fact that you learned how to talk pony in one night.” She replied, “All the rest was just a bunch of fancy talk that went right over my head. If you’re looking for my name, it’s Rainbow Dash, and I’m the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria.” She puffed out her chest as a cocky expression came over her face, “Bet your masters can’t do better than a Sonic Rainboom.”

“If you are referring to breaking the speed barrier,” Shadow replied, “the human race accomplished that almost two and a half centuries ago. They have since mastered supersonic flight in atmosphere and FTL space travel. The concept of an organic being able to achieve those speeds by itself is impressive, but not if you are comparing top speeds with those of the human race.”

Rainbow turned her attention to Twilight, but all she got out of the unicorn was a gaping jaw and a stuttering string of gibberish. “Uh, you want to run that by me again in basic Equish?”

Shadow realized that his large vocabulary was doing more harm than good in this case, so he simplified his response to be more easily understood, “Being able to break the sound barrier is impressive for a pony, but not compared to humans. They have gone faster than the speed of light and have been able to master speeds in the atmosphere of a planet over a dozen times greater than what you are talking about. The only impressive thing about your claim is that you did so under you own power.

“So, your masters need some kind of boost to get going that fast?” Rainbow replied. When Shadow nodded her smirk returned full force, “Then that means I’m still awesome. So what if you guys can go faster than me? I’m still the best of the best there is in Equestria, and that’s all I need to know.”

Shadow realized that he was going in circles with this mare, and simply started walking the way they had been travelling for several feet before realizing he was alone. He glanced behind him to see Twilight was still frozen in place, although she was slowly coming around as Rainbow flew down and tapped her on the shoulder a few times.

“Who, what, where?” Twilight’s response was at least intelligible this time around, although she still seemed a bit out of it.

“You okay Twilight?” Rainbow asked as she came in for a landing next to the unicorn, “You kind of zoned out there for a minute.”

“I, I think so.” Twilight replied, “I just got wrapped up in the idea of the amount of power needed to go that fast.” She glanced at Shadow as the duo trotted to catch up to him, “It must be amazing to have that kind of control over the world around you, being able to go that fast on a whim.”

“While that may be true,” Shadow countered, “humans are not capable of going those speeds without machines to aid them. That is why I said that Rainbow’s top speeds are impressive because she can do so without assistance. It is simply the numbers that are underwhelming.”

Both mares ‘Ahh’ed’ in understanding, although Rainbow seemed to remember something as she took off again, leaving the duo alone on the road once more in mere seconds.

“Well that was unusual.” Twilight commented as they came around a bend in the main road, “Rainbow usually likes to brag about her accomplishments to new ponies for a bit before flying off. I wonder what she’s up too?”

Shadow was also wondering what the prismatic mare had been thinking, his processor reminding him or Rarity’s comment at the boutique as they came up to yet another improbable architectural creation. This building, Sugarcube Corner, if Twilight could be believed, looked exactly like it had been made of gingerbread from foundation to roof. So much so that Shadow had to perform a scan of the structure just to make sure it wouldn’t fall apart if he pressed into the wall with one of his legs. Yet if there was anything to be said that seemed strange about the building, it was that the lights were all out and that the front door was closed. On top of that, the streets of the town were almost completely empty, save for a single tumbleweed that somehow ended up rolling down one of the side roads. The entire scene screamed danger in Shadow’s processors, and when Twilight glanced at him with a knowing smile, his sensors were put on high alert as she slowly walked up to the closed door.

Was this a trap? Had the ponies welcomed him only to trick him and try to capture him for their own gain? Shadow performed a scan of the building and came up with over three dozen life forms inside the main room, as well as what looked like a small artillery piece sitting directly in front of the main door. Shadow realized that if anything could actually damage him, it would be some form of heavy cannon like the one he could ‘see’ inside the store, and he stepped back quickly as Twilight looked at him in confusion.

“Shadow?” She asked in a surprisingly calm voice, “Is something wrong?”

Possible scenarios and alternate plans of action ripped through his processors at blinding speeds, all coming to the same conclusion. He had to get out of the town, and fast. If the ponies were going to try and capture him, he couldn’t risk the information he had in his memory banks. He would have to find some way to stay hidden in the forest or perhaps travel into the mountains to avoid detection. All he knew was that he had to escape before they got wise to his understanding of the situation and tried something less subtle.

Shadow was just turning around, ready to sprint out of the town, when his audio receptors picked up something. It was very faint, and was coming from inside the building, but he was able to make it out anyway as he rotated is ears back toward the door. What he heard made him pause in his tracks, understanding coursing through him as his conversation with Twilight back at the library came to the forefront of his processors.

“If the guest of honor’s leaving, does that mean the party’s canceled?” The voice was young and sounded very upset as one of the older ponies shushed her, but it was enough to convince Shadow that there might be more to this than a sneak attack. The ponies wouldn’t be stupid enough to bring foals to an attack, particularly when they knew what he could do. While the artillery aimed at the door still needed to be addressed, if the ponies were truly throwing him a party then he at least owed it to them to clarify the situation.

He turned around and called out through the door, pitching his voice so that it would carry into the building, “If you are planning on throwing me a party, then please turn the artillery away from the doorway so that I may enter without being under threat. I do not wish to harm you, so please do not give me a reason to believe you are hostile.”

Twilight gaped at him before slapping her face with a hoof, “Of course the highly sophisticated machine would think Pinkie’s party cannon is a weapon.”

She opened the door with her magic and the lights were turned on, revealing a collection of ponies that were all standing in the middle of the room with confused expressions on their faces. Said artillery piece detonated, revealing that it was loaded with confetti and streamers instead of something more dangerous, although the pink earth pony operating the device seemed rather disappointed.

“Aww, you ruined the surprise, Twilight.” She pushed the cannon out of the way as the unicorn and Shadow entered the building, revealing that the entire place was decked out with streamers and balloons of different colors and sizes. “I was hoping to make this a huge thing for our new machine friend.” She glanced up at him with a big pout and narrowed eyes, “But then this big party-pooper had to go and do something sneaky to reveal my perfect party tricks.”

“The town was deserted and the building was set up like an ambush.” Shadow clarified, “I could have simply blown the building into pieces and then escaped into the forest to await pickup. I didn’t have to do anything. However,” he glanced around at the attending ponies, “there was a little filly that asked if the party was canceled, which convinced me to at least clarify the situation before taking drastic measures. Who was it that spoke just a moment ago?”

The eyes of the party guests all turned to face a little unicorn filly with bright gold eyes and a matching mane and tail. Her coat was a soft lavender-grey and she hid behind a similarly colored pegasus as the older mare folded one of her wings over the filly in a protective manner.

The mare stared at Shadow with her crossed eyes and asked in a hesitant tone, “What do you want with my little Dinky?”

Shadow sat down and bowed his head to the pair, keeping his voice calm as he replied, “Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to give her the credit she deserved for making me see this wasn’t some kind of trap. It was because of her words that I decided to talk this out instead of simply running off, so you can all thank little Dinky for making this party a success instead of a disaster.”

The unicorn filly beamed as she looked up what Shadow assumed was her mother, the two sharing a nuzzle as the other ponies responded with a loud cheer.

“Alright,” Pinkie called out as she jumped up on top of one of the tables, “enough with the sappy stuff. Let’s get this party started!”

The next few hours were a bit of a blur to Shadow. He had met and catalogued most of the town’s population and had also received many compliments on his look as Rarity smiled at him from the sidelines. Most of the ponies were wary at first, but after speaking with him for a bit most of them warmed up enough to avoid shaking or stumbling over their words in his presence. He also met the rest of Twilight’s friends, although he noticed that of all the mares, only Fluttershy seemed to be completely at ease around him, much to the shock of the others.

Apparently, she was normally very shy and reserved around strangers, and yet when she walked up to Shadow she simply smiled and offered her hoof to him, “It’s nice to see you again. I’m glad we can have a nice conversation now instead of simply using body language. It was very brave of you to protect us from that hydra back in the Everfree Forest.”

Shadow had taken it in stride as he pressed the bottom of his paw against the mare’s hoof, shaking it once as he replied, “It was the best I could do at that point. I knew you were intelligent already from your conversations back at the castle, but I knew you wouldn’t be able to stop a monster such as that hydra without help. I just did what I could to protect those in need.”

Fluttershy had then done something that had shocked even Shadow. She had reached up and kissed the plate on the side of his muzzle, blushing madly as she hid behind her mane, although her smile was still visible as she continued, “Thank you anyway. I hope we can speak again sometime. I would really like to learn more about you if you wouldn’t mind.”

With that the butter yellow pegasus had walked out into the fading sunset, leaving five gob-smacked ponies and a very confused machine in her wake.

“Did Ah just see what Ah think Ah saw?” Applejack muttered as she shook her head, “Fluttershy of all ponies had the courage to kiss Shadow?”

“What’s gotten into that mare?” Rarity asked the room, although she apparently wasn’t expecting an answer as she continued right into her next statement before anyone could reply, “It’s like she’s fallen in love with him or something.”

“I don’t know,” Twilight retorted as she glanced at the closed door, “but it seems like she’s been acting strange ever since we got to the castle. Do you all remember how she slept next to Shadow that first night, even though we couldn’t even speak with each other then?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow added, “that was pretty weird, uh, no offence big guy.” She added in haste as she glanced over at Shadow.

“None taken.” He replied, “I too find it unusual that she would behave in such a manner around me. I would have believed that there would be a lot more hesitation on her part or even outright fear if your normal interactions with her are the norm for her behavior.” He glanced behind him as he pondered the pegasus’ actions.

“We won’t know until we ask her,” Pinkie added with a smile, “but right now it’s time to go to bed. Parties are great and all, but the cleanup is going to be a pain.”

“Well, I guess we’ll see you tomorrow, Pinkie.” Twilight said as she directed Shadow and the others out the door, “It was a great party, as always.”

“Bye girls!” The earth pony called as she began piling up the spent party supplies, leaving the mares and wolf to go their separate ways as they traveled back through the town.

“Would you mind staying with me in the library while you conduct your research of our world?” Twilight asked as they walked down the moonlit road, “It would make it much easier to talk with you if we didn’t have to go and find you off in the Everfree Forest.”

Shadow nodded, his processors momentarily pulled from the conundrum that was Fluttershy, “I would be honored. It would make my research far easier as well because of the information available in your books. I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t work.”

Twilight skipped a few steps before leading him into the darkened tree, igniting a candle with her ‘magic’ before indicating the couch with one hoof, “I don’t have the guest bedroom set up yet, so will the couch be fine for tonight?”

“That will be sufficient.” He replied, “I can power down on bare rock and it will not bother me, but the gesture is appreciated.”

Twilight nodded, hiding a yawn behind a hoof as she climbed the stairs leading to the second floor, “Goodnight, Shadow. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Twilight.” He called back softly.

Shadow inspected the couch to make sure it would hold his weight before climbing up and onto it, his plating sinking into the cushion slightly as he lowered his head to his front paws. Today had been a very eventful one, and he had made some discoveries that would take up his processors for a while, not the least of which being Fluttershy’s behavior at the castle and later at the party. He just couldn’t figure out the supposedly timid mare, and he powered down with his processors still going over the possibilities as his systems reminded him of the most important information on file.

…Power Core: 80%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 06:21:42:29…28…27…26…

Author's Note

Yay, another one in the books, er, so to speak. Hope you all like what I've got for you all so far, although I'm curious to see what you think of Fluttershy's behaviour. Is she under some kind of spell? Is she just showing a side she's never had before? What do all of you think? Share your thoughts in the towel section below, and I'll be looking forward to reading your ideas.

See you all next chapter, and happy reading,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

7 - A Mare's Secret

The following morning, Shadow powered up to find that Twilight was already awake and hard at work going through several books, although a quick scan revealed he had already read through those volumes during his initial data collection his first night in town. Yet the purple unicorn was hard at work taking notes from several high-level textbooks refereeing to pony biology and evolution while her ‘magic’ inscribed notes on a growing pile of scrolls.

Shadow left the mare to her duties as he stood up and walked through the building into the back room, finding himself in the kitchen as Spike prepared what looked like pancakes on a cast iron frying pan.
The dragon glanced over his shoulder as Shadow entered, nodding to the cybernetic hound before returning to his labors, “Morning, Shadow. Did you sleep well?”

“Given I power down during the night to save energy,” Shadow replied, “I do not in fact sleep in the sense that organics do. Although if I must make a comparison, it was a peaceful night without any interruptions to draw my attention.”

Spike shrugged as he flipped a pancake onto a plate across the room, the ballistic flapjack impacting perfectly in the center of the plate that had already been set on the table, “Sounds like you slept fine to me, machine or not. Is Twilight up yet? She’s normally down here asking for breakfast by this hour.”

“Twilight is in the other room going over several large books.” Shadow said, “She seems rather busy taking notes for some purpose.”

The dragon sighed as he turned off the burner and pulled off the frilly pink apron that had been tied around his front, “I’ll get her. She’d forget to eat if I didn’t pull her out of her study sessions from time to time.”

Shadow followed him into the other room, finding Twilight almost exactly as he had left her, although the pile of notes had grown in the time he had been gone. Spike walked up and grabbed the distracted mare by the ear, dragging her from her studies as she yelped in protest.

“Ow! Spike let go of my ear this instant!” Spike payed her no heed as he bodily dragged the stumbling unicorn behind him and into the kitchen, placing her in front of the pile of fresh pancakes as he walked back over to the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of syrup.

Twilight glowered at the smaller being as she rubbed her ear with a hoof, “We’re going to have a talk about your manners later today, young drake. We don’t drag ponies by the ear when we want to get their attention.”

“And I would have had to do something else just as drastic to get you out of your funk if I hadn’t.” He retorted, “Face it Twilight, if I hadn’t gone in there and dragged you to the table you would have gone for the rest of the day before passing out from hunger, exhaustion or both.”

Twilight grumbled under her breath but didn’t deny the dragon’s words, choosing instead to slather her plate with syrup and then devour the stack of fluffy goodness in a manner of seconds. Shadow watched the entire exchange from the doorway, finding it rather interesting that the person who essentially held the title of Twilight’s ward had such power over the mare who cared for him. It was a social dynamic that was highly complex and difficult to quantify in simple terms, making Shadow’s processors heat up as he contemplated the different possibilities.

After a few moments, Shadow returned his attention to the room before him, finding that Twilight and Spike had both finished eating, leaving the drake to clean the dishes as Twilight walked past the hovering hound as she waved for him to follow.

“Come on, Shadow.” She directed him as the duo exited the library, “We’re going to see Applejack and her family over at Sweet Apple Acres today.”

“Why would we do that?” Shadow asked as they journeyed down the main street, Shadow’s optics taking in the townsfolk as several waved in greeting to the duo as they passed.

It seemed that the general fear and uncertainty of him had passed after Pinkie’s party, and Shadow processed an unfamiliar line of code looping in the back of his cranial compartment. His core also rose a few degrees in temperature as its output rose for a few seconds before returning to normal, leaving him uncertain if he was malfunctioning or not.

“Because Applejack thought it would do you some good to find a job while you’re here in Ponyville so that you can earn some bits to spend on things you might need.” Twilight replied, apparently oblivious to Shadow’s haywire hardware as they exited the town and continued on the road to the northwest. “Besides, you don’t want to just sit around reading books all day. Aren’t you supposed to be gathering information on our world, so you can understand our way of life better?”

Shadow had to concede the point to the unicorn, although he declined the choice to reply as they passed by numerous rows of apple trees. The farmstead came into view a few minutes later, although Shadow’s scanners were drawn to the sounds of loud impacts from within the tree line on their right. Twilight must have heard it too, because she skipped the barn completely and walked between the orderly rows of trees until they came upon a rather unique sight, at least from Shadow’s point of view.

Applejack was just winding up to kick one of the trees with her hind legs, a collection of baskets under the tree’s branches as her hooves impacted the bark with a familiar crack. The tree shook from the force and Shadow’s processors went into overdrive as he calculated the force necessary to shake the tree as every single apple fell from the branches and landed either in or near the baskets laid below. The farm mare wiped her brow before turning her attention to the approaching duo, her eyes lighting up with happiness as a beaming smile spread her lips.

“Well howdy you two!” She called out as she flipped one of the filled buckets onto her back and slid it into a waiting cart before turning around to grab the next, “What brings ya’ll around these parts this early in the morning?”

“I was showing Shadow here a bit more of the pony way of life,” Twilight supplied as Applejack stacked another bucket onto the cart, “he’s here to gather information after all, so I’m trying to expose him to as much as I can before he has to return home. I was also wondering if you wouldn’t mind a bit of help around the farm in exchange for some bits?”

Applejack clipped herself into the cart’s harness with her mouth and hooves before replying, “Sure thing sugarcube. We could always use more help around here with the chores and such.” Twilight and Shadow fell in on either side of the earth pony as she pulled the cart back towards the farm with ease, “Who did ya’ll have in mind to help?”

Twilight indicated Shadow with a nod of her head, Applejack’s eyes shifting to the mechanical wolf as she inspected him from nose to tail, “Well I guess yer plenty strong, although Ah’m not sure how Granny will react if Ah let ya start working on the farm without warning her first.”

“It is not really necessary for you to pay me for my services,” Shadow stated as they came up to the barn, “I have no use for material items and you lack the infrastructure to repair or charge me should I become damaged in some way. I will be able to work on the farm to learn more about your agriculture methods, but the knowledge is all I will require for my services.” He sent a pointed look towards the Apple mare as she emptied the barrels into a storage bin inside the barn, “I am especially interested in how you have the strength to kick the fruit from the trees without hurting yourself or the plant.”

Applejack smirked as she stacked the barrels on the cart and strapped herself back in, “Family secret, sugarcube. Ya’ll would need to be part of the family to learn that particular trick.” Her face shifted to one of concern as they began working back towards the location where they had first met, “Have ya’ll spoken with Fluttershy today yet?”

Twilight’s expression mirrored Applejack’s as she tilted her head in confusion, “No, not yet at least. Why, is there something wrong?”

“Ah don’t really know,” Applejack replied, her gaze taking on a faraway look as she gazed out over the orchard, “Ah ran into her this morning at the market while Ah was helping Big Mac set up the stand, and she seemed to be a bit down in the dumps. Although that could have just been my imagination, given she was hiding behind her mane again when I saw her.”

“Hiding behind her mane?” Twilight echoed, “She hasn’t done that in months! She must really be feeling bad if she’s falling into old habits like that again.” She jerked her head to Shadow and pulled ahead as she picked up the pace, “Come on, Shadow. We’re going to see if we can find out what’s wrong with Fluttershy.”

“Let me know if ya’ll need mah help fer anything!” Applejack called after them as they followed the fence around the north side of town.

Before too long, the duo had reached the edge of the orchard, the foreboding trees of the Everfree Forest working up against the fencing as Twilight turned south and led Shadow over the fence and onto the road leading back to town. Shadow logged the route in his memory in case he needed to find his way on his own in the future and sped up his stride to fall even with the unicorn as they turned left off the main road and onto a private drive. In a matter of minutes, Shadow was able to see the house that sat at the edge of the forest, its grounds absolutely littered with birdhouses and other small animal habitats. The house itself seemed to have been created out of a small hillside, the roof covered in grass as vines grew up the walls. All and all, it looked almost exactly as Shadow might have predicted, given the pegasus’ nature and her love for animals.

Twilight led Shadow up to the front door and knocked once, “Fluttershy? It’s Twilight and Shadow! Are you feeling alright? Applejack told us you looked like you weren’t feeling good at the market today, so we came to check on you!”

There were a few soft hoofsteps from behind the door before it cracked open, revealing a single teal eye and a bit of pink mane as Fluttershy peaked out at them, “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not really feeling like myself today. It’s not a really big deal but I just want to have some alone time right now.”

Twilight’s face narrowed in concern as she held the door open so Fluttershy couldn’t close it, “Fluttershy, we’re your friends. We won’t just let you wallow in your house if you’re feeling down. Please, talk to us. We might be able to help you feel better at least.”

Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before opening the door all the way, revealing that her cheeks were stained by tear tracks and her eyes were red from crying. Her mane was a mess and her feathers were in disarray as she turned to allow them to enter.

Shadow took in the interior of the house in a few seconds before returning his attention to the distraught mare before them. This was unusual behavior, even with what little he had to go on from his interactions with the mare and stories from her friends, leaving him to believe that there was something going on that they didn’t know about.

Fluttershy wiped her face with a tissue before turning back to face them, a soft smile on her lips as she spoke, “Would you like some tea, Twilight? I could put a kettle on if you would like?”

Twilight sat down on the couch and shook her head gently, “No thank you. I think it would be best if we simply talked about what’s bothering you, if that’s alright with you, that is.”

The butter pegasus shifted slightly before glancing towards Shadow, who had taken a seat on the floor behind the coffee table so the mares could sit on the couch together. Her eyes glinted with something Shadow couldn’t identify for a moment before she let out a weary sigh, “Alright, I guess I can talk for a bit.”

She climbed onto the couch next to Twilight and hung her head, her gaze locked onto the coffee table between them before speaking, “Today marks the anniversary of something I hate to remember.” Her words were so soft Shadow had to turn up his audio receptors’ sensitivity levels to pick it up clearly, “Today, exactly three years ago, I lost someone I cared for deeply, someone who I loved like family and could never hope to replace in my heart.”

Twilight gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves as she replied in a heated whisper, “Fluttershy, you never told us you lost somepony. Do you, um, mind telling us who it was?”

The distraught pegasus shook her head, stepping off the couch and walking over to the side door, “I would rather show you, if you don’t mind.”

Twilight shared an uncertain look with Shadow before getting up and following the other mare, Shadow picking up the rear as they followed a well-worn path leading up to the edge of the Everfree. Twilight grew visibly nervous as Fluttershy walked right into the woods without stopping, pausing at the edge of the forest as Shadow stopped at her side to scan the area. When Shadow nodded to indicate that there were no predators in the area, Twilight swallowed thickly before following the trail into the forest itself.

For a few minutes they walked behind the pegasus as the trail wound its way through the brush, the sunlight peaking through the canopy in narrow streams as they moved from sun shaft to sun shaft. Then, they came into a small clearing that was about ten feet circle, marked by only a single grey stone that rested in the grass in the very center.

As they walked up to the large stone, Twilight gasped as she and Shadow were able to make out the words carved into the rock, their lettering worn but still legible to the eye as Fluttershy sat down in front of the now recognizable tombstone. The letters were crude and looked like they had been carved out with basic tools instead of professionally cut, leading Shadow to conclude that Fluttershy had most likely cut them into the rock herself after placing the stone where it lay.

The words were simple and yet meaningful, much the same as the pony who had carved them,

Here Lies Ebony Shy
A Sister, A Protector, A Friend
Rest in Peace with My Love to Guide You
995 – 997

Twilight’s expression shifted to one of confusion as she read the inscription, “Fluttershy, you had a sister?” The pegasus nodded but refused to speak, “Why did you never tell us about her before and how could she have been a protector if she was only two years old when she died? Also, what does her name mean? I’ve never heard of a pony named Ebony before.”

Shadow held a paw to the unicorn’s lips, silencing her as Fluttershy turned to face them, fresh tears falling from her eyes as she replied with a soft smile on her lips, “Because Ebony wasn’t a pony.”

“She was a wolf.”

Author's Note

*Evil Cackle of Evilness* I love it when I get to pull stuff like this! Cliffhangers for the win!! Anyways, hope you all are enjoying the book so far and I look forward to hearing what you think in the towel section below. Only two more days before my 2nd Anniversary Chapter Marathon is over, so get it while the chapters are hot!!

Also, if you all don't mind me sticking in a little shameless self-promotion. I have a Patreon Page now for all of my fans who want to get just a little bit extra from this hard-working author. If anypony wishes to help support the stories you all love, then drop on by and become a Patron. Every little bit helps and the more the merrier.

Alright, enough with the soapbox moment. *Bucks the box off the side of the stage in a string of crashes and screeching cat noises* I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for helping to make this story so sucessful in the two months it's been published, and I really hope that you all are enjoying the ride as we roll down this road together.

Hope to see you all next chapter, and possibly on my Patreon page,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

8 - A Sister's Love

Twilight gaped at Fluttershy while Shadow simply waited for the pegasus to explain herself, although he was already beginning to piece together some of the details concerning why she had been acting different around him.

Finally, Twilight seemed to get her mind back on track, her jaw closing with a click as she spoke, “A wolf?” Fluttershy nodded, “The creature buried under that stone and someone you called a sister, is a wolf?” Again, Fluttershy nodded. “So, let me see if I’m understanding this correctly. You met an honest to goodness wolf, not a Timberwolf, mind you, but an actual flesh and blood wolf. Creatures that haven’t been seen in Equestria in almost two centuries because of their rivalry with their wooden cousins, and you decided that keeping their existence a secret was a good idea?”

Fluttershy didn’t seem phased by the unicorn’s rising temper, only turning her attention back to the tombstone as she replied, “I didn’t want to tell anypony because Ebony was the only one I knew about. She would have been stuck in a zoo or something worse if ponies had learned about her, so I didn’t say anything to protect her.”

“But a living, breathing wolf,” Twilight seemed to be stuck on that particular detail as she walked up to the grave and sat down next to Fluttershy, “it would have been one of the greatest discoveries in our lifetime if you had told somepony. We could have found more, maybe even started a conservation program to get them reintroduced to the wild, so they wouldn’t go extinct. Why would you let them die out if you knew there was a chance to save them?”

“Because I never once found a trace of any others.” Fluttershy whispered, “I know it sounds silly, but in my heart, I knew she was the last. I never found any clues or any leads that might have lead to more.” She looked the unicorn in the eyes as she continued, “Don’t you see? If I had told ponies about Ebony, she would have been locked up and protected when she wanted to be free. I may not have known her very long, but I knew she would rather die than be in a cage. And don’t try to tell me that the unicorns in Canterlot wouldn’t do that. We both know better.”

That shut Twilight up, leaving the group in silence for a few moments before Shadow stepped forward, his voice soft as he sat down on Fluttershy’s other side, “Would you tell us about her? I would like to understand how your relationship with this Ebony translates over to your actions towards me.”

Fluttershy kept her eyes locked on the tombstone, her gaze traveling far away as she began to speak, and the trio settled in for a long wait as the pegasus told her tale.

The land around Fluttershy’s new cottage was still wild and unkept, the grass tall and the trees bare of the bird houses that she could envision in her mind’s eye. Rainbow Dash hadn’t understood why she had wanted to live on the ground, away from the cloud city of her birth, but she knew in her heart that this was where she belonged.

Then, as the light of Celestia’s sun shined down on the edge of the nearby Everfree Forest, Fluttershy spotted movement within the bushes. Fearing it was some monster come to attack her, she hid in the bushes near to the house, too afraid to move in case she drew attention to herself. She couldn’t even think of flying, her wings pulled tight to her flanks as she peaked out from between the branches.

There, in the full glory of the sunlight, were a duo of silver beings. Their bodies slunk low to the ground and their bright blue and gold eyes searching through the brush. The long and fluffy tails that followed their lithe and streamlined bodies were still, held above the ground to avoid rustling the loose leaves and twigs between their paws. Fluttershy’s eyes widened in awe as she beheld something she never imagined could be real. Wolves, not the wooden monsters of dark magic that were native to the Everfree, but actual wolves. Creatures that were said to have died out long before she was born, and yet her eyes told her the truth as the duo halted before a knot of thickly bunched bushes. These were living, breathing animals, and she felt herself drawn to their sleek and powerful bodies as they began to advance on the brush.

Then, like a nightmare made real, Fluttershy gagged as a nasty stench reached her nose, her hoof covering her muzzle in a vain attempt to stop the smell from getting in as she watched the bushes begin to move. From within the darkness of the forest, strode a group of seven Timberwolves, the large, wooden monsters towering over their flesh cousins as the pair growled low in their throats. Fluttershy watched in fascinated horror as the Timberwolves slowly encircled the smaller canines, their glowing green eyes boring into the outnumbered and overpowered duo as the wolves made a valiant stand.

In a flash, the battle had begun, but it was over almost before the first Timberwolf struck. With so many against so few, along with their magical strength working to aid them, the fight was short, bloody and brutal as the Timberwolves tore the smaller wolves into pieces. Fluttershy covered her mouth with both hooves as tears streamed from her eyes, her horrified gaze locked onto the gruesome scene as the duo was ripped limb from limb, leaving the grass and bushes coated in blood and other gore as the Timberwolves returned from whence they came.

As soon as the battle ended, Fluttershy made a mad dash into her cottage, shivering and sobbing as she relived the attack over and over. Yet, just as she was about to cry herself into hysterics, something scratched softly against the door. Fluttershy froze, thinking the Timberwolves had come back, but her fear turned to confusion as the scratching was accompanied by a pitiful high-pitched whine.

Her curiosity peaked, Fluttershy carefully moved over to the door, opening it just a crack to see what it was that had made the heartbreaking whine on her front porch. At first, she saw nothing, but then she felt the door being pushed open, and she yelped as she sprinted back into the living room, hiding under the couch as she quivered in fear. Yet, nothing happened. Her fears once again fading slowly, Fluttershy peaked out from under the couch, her eyes scanning the room in hopes of spotting whatever it was that had invaded her home. Then, she felt a soft and cold nose press against her side, the soft whine from before sounding from directly next to her as a small and warm body nestled under her right wing.

Frozen once again, Fluttershy didn’t dare move as the small form pulled her wing over its body with what felt like tiny and very sharp teeth, the whining turning into a contented purr as whatever it was curled up against her flank and fell still. Barley able to think straight through her fear, Fluttershy slowly turned her head to look at her flank, lifting her wing slowly as she peered at the small thing that had snuggled up against her. A pair of molten gold eyes opened in the darkness under her wing, and a set of white fangs flashed in the light as a tiny, lupin head moved into the light.

Her heart melted as the tiny, black wolf pup shuffled along on its belly toward her face and licked the tip of her nose, pulling a giggle from her throat as she slowly came to realize that she wasn’t in any danger.

“Where did you come from little one?” She asked, not truly expecting an answer as the pup playfully batted her wing with its paws, flipping onto its back and revealing it was a female as it panted and played with her feathers.

Fluttershy giggled again as she slid out from under the couch, walking over and closing the door as the little pup waddled out from under the couch and tried to jump up to lick her face. When that proved futile, Fluttershy watched as the pup walked around behind her and began to play with her tail, forcing her to move it out of the way as she sat down. Just as she was getting comfortable, Fluttershy felt something soft and warm wiggle between her hind hooves, her eyes shooting wide open as a vibrant blush overcame her cheeks.

The pup was pushing its head directly between her hind legs and suckling on one of her teats, the sensation not altogether unpleasant but probably the most alien and embarrassing thing Fluttershy had ever felt. She glanced down and saw the pup’s tail wagging in joy as it tried and failed to get the milk it wanted, leaving Fluttershy with a dilemma on her hooves. Should she move and risk the pup hurting her on accident, or leave it be to keep sucking on her teat while she tried to think of something else to do?

Her choice was made for her as one of the little wolf’s fangs caught the sensitive flesh of her teat, making her wince and squeak in pain as her rump lifted of its own accord. The pup was left unable to reach the unproductive milk-givers as it turned around and looked up at her with the most adorable eyes she had ever seen. Yet the little sting from the pup’s teeth told her all she needed to know about her little guest. The pup was in the process of being weened, meaning it wanted to drink her mother’s milk, but was being forced to stop because of the pain her teeth were causing the mother when she bit down by accident. This made Fluttershy feel a bit less guilty as she walked away from the pup, her cheeks still bright red as she searched through her refrigerator for something the pup could eat.

Finally, as the pup returned to playing with her tail, she found what she was looking for. Pulling out a piece of fish she had gotten for one of her injured eagle friends the previous week, she offered the small trout to the pup as her nose sniffed the air in curiosity.

Fluttershy placed the cold meat on the floor and let the pup investigate the food, her tiny teeth trying in vain to break the tough scales that covered the fish’s body. She looked up at Fluttershy after several failed attempts to break through to the sweet meat and gave another whine as she pawed at the fish with one leg.

Fluttershy was at a bit of a loss. She could cut the fish with a knife, but she might miss some of the small bones and the pup could choke. She could pull bits and pieces off with a set of her tweezers, but that would take too long. Then, she remembered how mother bears prepared meat for their cubs, although the very thought of doing that revolted her on an instinctual level.

Then, she looked back at the hungry puppy begging for her to help and felt her resolve crumble as she let out a gusty sigh, “I know I’m going to regret this, but it looks like I have no choice.”

She bent down and bit into the fish, her gag reflex kicking in as her stomach rejected the idea of even letting her keep the meat in her mouth as she slowly chewed the flesh between her teeth. She had to stop several times to keep herself from throwing up but managed to use her tongue to spit out all of the small bones and scales before taking a small bowl and spitting the remainder into the bowl. She wiped her mouth with a hoof and placed the bowl on the floor, the pup nearly diving head first into the fresh meat as she devoured the fish with gusto. Fluttershy smiled even as she washed her mouth out with a cup of water, although her joy at her success was short-lived as the pup finished the bite of fish and turned to her, begging for more.

Fluttershy turned to look at the fish, back to the pup, and then realized that she was far from done. She let out another sigh, praying to Celestia that she wouldn’t have to do this for too much longer. She wasn’t sure her stomach could take this much abuse. She bent down and took another bite, her eyes watering as she refused to throw up, taking careful steps to remove all of the bones and scales before spitting the bite into the bowl. The pup destroyed this offering as well, and the next one, and the next, until Fluttershy had gone through almost the entire trout. By this point she had given in on the idea of ever tasting food the same way again and was relived to see the pup finally slow down and then waddle off into the next room, its stomach distended from the sheer mass of fish she had eaten as Fluttershy finally was able to wash the leftovers from her mouth. However, she feared she would never get the smell and taste of trout out of her mouth and nose.

She walked back to the living room, only to find that the pup was gone. Her ears jerked upright as she began searching the room from top to bottom, ending up with nothing as she began looking through the rest of the house. All of the rooms turned up nothing, save for one. Just as she was about to start looking outside, she heard the squeak of her bedsprings, and she raced up to her bedroom only to stand in the doorway in shock and relief.

Lying on her bed, curled up on one of her pillows, was the pup, sound asleep and purring gently as her little sides rose and fell. Fluttershy felt her heart melt once again at the adorable sight and found herself walking softer than usual as she made her way up to the bed. The pup opened one eye as she climbed in with her, shifting until she was curled up between Fluttershy’s front legs, her head rested against the pegasus’ chest as she opened her mouth in a tiny yawn. With that she rolled onto her side and fell asleep for real, leaving Fluttershy with a wolf pup pressed against her heart, and a very sinking feeling in her stomach that had nothing to do with the fish she had nearly eaten.

‘This little one belonged to those wolves from before,’ The pegasus thought to herself, ‘she has to be.’ She felt her heart clench at the idea of the little puppy before her having to grow up all alone in the wild, and in that instant, she realized what she was going to do. She carefully bent down and nuzzled the puppy between her ears, humming a lullaby her mother had sung to her when she was little as she placed her head next to the sleeping bundle of warmth.

“Goodnight, my little Ebony.” She whispered as she closed her eyes, “I’ll protect you and care for you until you can once again roam free.”

As Fluttershy finished her tale, Twilight wiped her eyes with a hoof as she tried to keep her tears from falling, “That was beautiful, Fluttershy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a sad yet happy story.”

Fluttershy nodded, a small smile gracing her lips as she replied, “Ebony grew up with me as my first true animal companion, although it made treating the sick and injured animals that I found a trick when she kept thinking they were food I had gotten for her. Yet as time went by, we grew to be more than just companions. I could understand her more than I can even understand Angel Bunny, and he’s the closest thing I have to another true companion in my care right now. We could carry on full conversations, even though she couldn’t speak, and we could practically move as one when we went for walks in the forest or around my cottage.”

“So, what happened?” Twilight asked, her expression guarded as she continued, “Wolves were said to live up to ten years in the wild, yet the tombstone you made says she only lived to be two years old.”

Fluttershy’s expression fell as she turned her attention to the ground in front of her hooves, “I let her go when she turned one year old. She ran off into the Everfree and I didn’t see her for weeks at a time, although she would always come back and sit on the edge of the forest where I could see her, just to let me know she was still there for me if I needed her. Then,” her voice cracked as a tear ran down her face, “one day I made the mistake of going to look for her.”

Fluttershy was terrified. Somehow, she had lost the trail and had gotten turned around in the dark forest, her sense of direction completely lost as she stumbled over roots and branches as her wings got caught on thorns and brambles. She was cold, tired and thirsty, only able to put one hoof in front of the other in a desperate attempt to find her way back to her home.

Then, from the darkness, a shadow loomed. At first Fluttershy thought it might be Ebony, come to help as she always did, but then she saw the wild mane and small bat wings as the whipping scorpion tail became visible. It was a manticore, and the terrible feline was staring right at her.

Fluttershy screamed as she began running as fast as her hooves would carry her, her wings pinned to her flanks in fear as she pounded through the brush as the manticore let out a terrifying roar and gave chase. Her breath rushed through her gaping mouth as she tried to think of something she could do in order to get away, but her mind came up with a blank as she felt the hot breathing of the leonine monster washing over her flanks.

She made a sharp turn when she spotted the shaft of light streaming through the branches on her left, hoping against hope that it was a way out of the forest. Yet her hopes were dashed as she slid to a halt, the tips of her hooves dangling over the edge of a huge cliff as she desperately looked left and right for another way out. Yet there was nothing and nowhere to run as the manticore followed her out of the bushes, its tongue licking its lips in anticipation as it stalked slowly up the incline towards the trembling pegasus.

Fluttershy knew she was going to die. Unable to fly away and with nowhere to run, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable as the manticore drew closer. Yet just as the hot and rancid breath of the beast washed over her, it let out a thunderous and pained roar, backing away as Fluttershy’s eyes shot open in shock. Her jaw hung low as she witnessed a black blur climb all over the manticore, tearing chunks out of the beast’s flesh as the lion hybrid swatted in vain at the speeding form. Then, one of its massive paws managed to clip the blur, sending it flying back towards Fluttershy as she was finally able to make out what it was.

The familiar body shifted in midair to land on her paws as the black wolf slid to a halt between the manticore and Fluttershy, her hackles raised and her teeth bared in snarl as she stared down the cat creature. Fluttershy found her voice as she managed to squeak out a single word, the wolf’s ears rotating towards her as she spoke.

“Ebony?”

The wolf turned to look at her for just a moment, those dark golden eyes shining in the sunlight like molten metal as her snarl turned into a panting smile. Fluttershy knew in an instant that her friend had come to save her, and her heart sang with joy as she rushed forward to hug the wolf around her much broader shoulders.

“Thank you so much, Ebony.” She whimpered as she pulled herself onto her friend’s back, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”

Ebony snorted as she turned her attention back to the manticore, the beast snarling at the smaller predator as the two slowly circled. Yet just as the larger feline came around to the cliff side of the open space, Ebony spun around and charged off into the trees, leaving the monster to roar in frustration as Fluttershy held onto Ebony’s ruff with all of her strength.

The pair raced through the bushes at speeds that would have normally made Fluttershy sick, but all she could think about was the soft fur pressed against her face and the thundering heartbeat that rang in her ears as Ebony carried her to safety. She had come, against all odds she had come and protected her against the monster when all hope was lost. Fluttershy unfolded her wings for the first time that day and hugged them around Ebony’s middle, giving the wolf the best hug she could as they raced out of the forest and into the clearing that led to her cottage.

Fluttershy climbed off the wolf and stumbled as her shaky hooves touched the ground, Ebony stepping up to her side to support her as she got her balance back.

“Oh, thank you Ebony.” Fluttershy murmured as she straightened herself out, “It looks like you finally paid me back for saving you all those months ago as a puppy.”

The large canine snorted in her face, her expression saying all she needed it to as the wolf slowly turned around and began to walk back into the forest.

“Wait!” Fluttershy called, causing Ebony to halt for a moment as she turned her head to look at the pegasus, “Can’t you stay for a little longer? I’ve missed you so much these last few weeks.”

Ebony rolled her eyes and jerked her head towards the forest, growling softly as she turned her gaze back to Fluttershy.

“Yes, I suppose that is where you belong.” Fluttershy agreed as she walked up and hugged the wolf around her shoulders, feeling her soft tongue run between her ears and over her mane in a loving gesture before they pulled part. “Don’t be gone so long this time. I miss having you around the cottage.”

Ebony nodded, turning back to the forest, although just as she was about to disappear into the bushes, she froze and began to back up, her hackles raised and her teeth bared as the large form of the manticore slowly advanced into the open.

Fluttershy froze in fear as the feline roared once again, leaving her stone still as the beast charged past Ebony and made straight for her. Fluttershy could only stare in terror as the scorpion tail rose up and came down straight at her, the pegasus’ eyes closing in anticipation of the terrible pain that the poisonous stinger would bring.

But instead, she was met with a pained yelp, her eyes flying open as she saw Ebony take the stinger directly to the chest, her body falling to the side as the manticore wound up to strike again. Yet Ebony wasn’t down for more than a second before she was up and running again, dragging the manticore back into the forest by its tail as the larger beast spun around to try and swipe her with its claws. Blood dripped onto the ground from the wound in Ebony’s chest, but the wolf refused to give up as the duo finally disappeared into the foliage, leaving a panting Fluttershy in the middle of the clearing, her heart ramming against her ribs as she realized how close she had come to dying.

Then, another roar dragged her back to reality, and she raced into the forest as fast as her hooves could carry her, following the sounds of battle as thorns ripped into her hide and brambles dug into her fur before ripping small tufts free. Yet she paid that no mind, her entire being focused on finding Ebony as the roars and snarls faded into nothing. She came skidding to a halt at the edge of a small clearing, just as the manticore’s tail vanished into the brush on the other side, leaving Ebony the victor as the winded pegasus rushed to her side.

“Oh, Ebony.” She whimpered as she tried to slow the bleeding with her hooves and whatever she could find, “I’m so sorry. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

Ebony let out a sigh as she laid down and rolled onto her side, letting her head rest against the ground as she looked up at Fluttershy.

The pegasus was confused for a moment, until she saw the resignation in her friend’s eyes, “No, no, no, no, no! I won’t give up! There has to be a cure for the venom somewhere!”

Yet as she spun around to race away, she was drawn up short by a sound that she hadn’t heard in almost two years. It was a sound that brought all the memories of Ebony as a puppy running around her cottage racing to the front of her mind. It dragged her all the way back to that first day when she had heard it through her door.

Ebony was whining, whining for her to stay and comfort her.

Her heart breaking, Fluttershy turned back around and walked up to the wolf’s side, laying down next to her and resting her head over the larger lupin’s neck, “I’m here Ebony. I won’t leave you.”

Ebony’s eyes locked with hers as her breathing became ragged and shallow, her heart and soul bared for the sobbing pegasus as she turned her head and licked Fluttershy along one cheek. The mare smiled even as more tears ran down her face to replace the ones Ebony had licked off, and she managed to force one sentence out as the wolf rested her head on the ground once more.

“I love you too, sister.”

With that, Ebony’s eyes closed for the final time, her shaking chest falling still as her last breath passed from her body. For a moment, Fluttershy thought that there was something she could do, anything to save the first being she had ever loved, but there was nothing to do.

Ebony was dead.

Tears ran down both mare’s cheeks as Fluttershy finished her second story, wiping her face as the drops fell onto the tombstone before them, “She died right here. Right here in my hooves, and I couldn’t do anything to save her. She was the first being I ever cared for like that. She was more than a friend. She was my family, my sister, and I loved her more than anything else in this whole world, save for my parents.”

She turned to look up at Shadow, her lips curling into a bitter smile as she continued, “When we first saw you in the Castle of the Two Sisters, I though we were going to have to fight you and possibly get hurt battling a Timberwolf, but as you stepped into the light, for a moment, I thought, I wished…”

“You saw Ebony, your sister, standing before you, alive and well by some miracle of fate.” Twilight finished for her, all of the pieces falling into place in Shadow’s processors as the pegasus looked up at him with raw emotion in her gaze.

“And then you went and saved us from the hydra, just as Ebony saved me from the manticore all those years ago. I thought you were her given new life, and I felt that hole in my heart fill for the first time since she died.” The pegasus let out a bitter laugh as she turned her head back to the tombstone, “What a cruel twist that I would fall in love with a machine, something that cannot love me back.” She let out a sigh as she got up and walked back to the edge of the clearing, turning to look at them over her shoulder as she said her final piece, “Feel free to stay here as long as you like. I’m tired and feel like I should go to bed. Today’s been filled with a lot of painful memories, and I would like to have some time alone if you wouldn’t mind.”

With that Fluttershy walked back though the brush, Twilight quick to follow while Shadow remained next to the grave. His processors were working overtime, and he was having trouble piecing together the information that his mind was coming up with. Love? Memory? All of that was mixed together into a logical loop that threatened to activate his hypercore to keep him from going into shutdown. Yet he couldn’t get the data to stop processing over and over as he replayed Fluttershy’s story in his audio receptors and accessed the files pertaining to their interactions the past few days. It was all new and unusual to the cybernetic hound, and he found himself back at the library without any memory of having walked there. Twilight was already up and asleep in her bed while Spike snored without a care in the world in his basket, leaving the mechanical wolf to ponder this new development alone as he prepared to shut down for the night. He called the falcon down from the balcony so it could recharge inside his body, the drone’s scanners having been running overwatch from the top of the library for the last few days and nights.

With the drone safely tucked away under his plating, Shadow powered down and finally stopped the logic loop that had been plaguing him, although he was reminded once again that he was on a time limit as the usual shutdown data was presented to him. He managed to rest peacefully through the night, but as the moon drifted over the slumbering land of ponies, something new began to take shape, something that not even his creators had ever thought possible.

Shadow’s processor began to adapt to the energy that had been around him from the beginning of his adventure, shifting the circuity into something else as the machine rested. Only time would tell if he would come out of the change better or worse, but both worlds were about to get a few surprises in the form of the first true A.I.

…Power Core: 76%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 05:19:28:06…5…4…3…2…

Author's Note

Well that was a painful chapter to write. I mean, I made Fluttershy cry, there has to be a law against that or something! Anyways, this marks the end of my 2nd Anniversary Chapter Marathon, so no more chapters every day for you unless you all start doing backflips in the comments section.

And remember, if you guys want access to my work ahead of time, consider becoming a patron on my Patreon Page.

I've got lots of stuff set up for all of you to enjoy but so far nopony wants to share the love. Anyways, feel free to check it out and see if you want to join the exclusive club that is my Patreon, although none of you are required to do so if you do not desire to or cannot afford it. I am not a heartless monster, despite what some of my chapters may make you think, so I understand as a broke college student that not everypony can offer that kind of help.

Anyways, with that out of the way, I hope to see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

9 - Crusading Crisis

Shadow powered up the next morning and looked around the library, his optics taking in the sun shafts as they illuminated particles of dust that fluttered through the air while the soft sounds of birdsong filtered in through the open window to his left. Standing and hopping off of the couch that had been his resting place, Shadow walked over to one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls and picked up a book that he had been planning on reading but had been unable to up until now. While he had already gone over much of the biology and psychology of the pony races, he had not had time to look into the other sapient species of this world before he had been interrupted by Twilight and the others. Thus, the large textbook in his mouth would begin his second round of studying with what he hoped was reliable information concerning the gryphon and dragon races.

The next hour and a half was spent cataloguing the data provided by the tome before him, although about halfway into the large text he heard one of the library’s other occupants moving about in the living area. Given it sounded like hooves on the wood and the steps were of a quadrupedal pattern, Shadow surmised that it was Twilight getting up and preparing for the day. He ignored the soft scratching of quill on paper and focused on the words before him, although he did look up when he caught muttered utterings coming from directly behind him. His optics landed on the purple unicorn as she inspected the mechanisms visible between the plates of his back, a scroll and quill held in her ‘magic’ as she whispered technical terminology under her breath.

“What are you doing?” Shadow inquired, even though he had a pretty good idea already from what little of Twilight’s mutterings he could make out.

The unicorn seemed to jerk in surprise as her gaze jumped to his, the quill and scroll nearly falling to the floor before she caught them once more, “Oh! Shadow, I was, umm, just taking some, notes to, uh,” she let out a sigh as the quill and scroll floated over to the table as she averted her gaze, “I’m sorry. I just really wanted to learn more about you so we could improve our own technology. I know you and Princess Celestia came to an understanding and I’m not supposed to pry information out of you concerning your home, but I just couldn’t resist when you are a literal repository of unknown sciences and cultures that are centuries ahead of any race on Equis.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze once more, her eyes wide and her lower lip trembling as her tone took on a pathetic timbre, “Can you forgive me?”

While Shadow was familiar with the concept of ‘puppy eyes’, that did not mean he was affected by them. Yet he also knew that working with the local life forms would be more to his benefit than working against them, so he nodded once to Twilight’s inquiry, causing the pouting unicorn to spring to her hooves in joy.

“Oh, I’m so glad you forgive me!” She danced in place for a moment before pulling the scroll and quill back to her side, “So, if I can’t ask you about your own world, why don’t you tell me about what you think of ours? I’ve never had the chance to interview an extraterrestrial about our own world, so I’d be a fool not to take the chance while I can.”

Shadow leaned back slightly as the manic expression Twilight sported drew well within his personal space, a loop of code running around in his processors that caught his attention for a moment before it vanished. Pulling his attention back to the excited mare before him, he let out a puff of air that could have counted as a sigh if he was an organic.

“I will allow you to interview me,” he stated slowly, “but I will not go into detail beyond my own experiences due to the security requirements placed on my creators and their worlds. Do not ask me about those topics or I will terminate the conversation immediately. Are we clear?”

Twilight’s grin didn’t falter as she nodded ecstatically, “Oh course! I know all that already, I just want to know what you think about our world, not the worlds the humans call home. So,” she lifted the scroll and quill before her, dipping the feather in a nearby pot of ink without taking her eyes off of Shadow, “when you first arrived on Equis, what were your immediate thoughts?”

It took less than half a second for Shadow’s processors to bring up the relevant information, and he replied with smooth precision as Twilight recorded with rapid strokes of her quill, “The first thing I was aware of was that your planet has a lot in common with other life-supporting worlds I have visited in the past, such that your biology is centered around carbon-based information strands, classified as DNA. Another is that your atmosphere is comprised of mostly oxygen and nitrogen, elements that are also very common on life-supporting planets. While the presence of liquid water is not a requirement for life, it has been shown to help it to develop beyond simple single-cellular forms, and the fact that your star is of a class-K stellar model helps to keep your climate stable. There are many other observations I could share, but the majority of them would be information that you are most likely already familiar with, such as the strength of your gravity and other such data.”

Shadow paused for a moment as Twilight caught up with him, “Does that satisfy your initial inquiry?”

Twilight nodded swiftly, her smile wide as she poured over her notes with abandon, “It’s more than I could have ever dreamed, and all of it came from just your initial observations of our world. Data on other planets that can support life and direct comparisons to our own world. It’s a scientist’s dream come true!” She turned her attention back to Shadow as the slightly manic expression came back to her face, “I must know more.”

Another loop of code sprang into being in Shadow’s processor, and this time he was able to isolate it before it could disperse. His attention on the unicorn was shifted for a moment as he analyzed the seemingly random stream of code, although he was pulled out of his introspection when he registered a hoof being placed against his chest. The instant he lost focus, the code vanished as if it had never existed, and Shadow’s processor nearly went into overdrive trying to locate it again as he turned his optics back to Twilight. The mare was standing before him with a hoof against his plating, her eyes worried as she looked up at him.

“Shadow?” She asked with an uncertain tone, “Are you alright? You spaced out for a minute there. Is everything okay?”

While Shadow was calculating the chances of the mare understanding even half of what he had experienced if he did choose to tell her, he also realized that there was very little of the local culture that he understood. He knew a lot of the world at large from the books he had read, but if he was going to get a more in-depth look at the customs and mannerisms of the local life forms, he would need to be out and about to interact directly. There were a lot of parallels to human culture from what he did know, but he would need to get more data if he was going to present a cohesive report to his creators once he returned to Earth.

“I am fully functional if that is what you were implying,” Shadow stated, “but I have been made aware of a lack in my knowledge base of this planet. I have a multitude of scientific data concerning your species, along with a general history of the pony races, but I have next to no current data on the customs and day to day practices of pony kind.” He glanced over his shoulder at the door, “Perhaps it would be better if I gathered more up to date information, corresponding with a walk around the town?”

Twilight’s face narrowed slightly, “I’m not sure, Princess Celestia was pretty clear that you stay within the town limits, and I’m not certain that having you walk around by yourself would be such a good idea. Pinkie’s party might have made some ponies less fearful of you, but you are still an unknown and most of the townsfolk are pretty skittish of newcomers.” Her eyes lit up as she floated the quill and scroll over to the deck against the far wall, “How about I go with you? That way you’re supervised by somepony and I can ask more questions on the way about your adventures. It’s a win-win for both of us!”

Shadow considered the options for a second before replying, “Very well, I will accompany you through town while answering what questions I can. In return I request that you answer any questions of mine that pertain to your local customs and traditions.”

A large set of saddlebags found there way onto Twilight’s back as she walked over to the door, swinging open the portal before turning to look back at the cybernetic hound, “Well if you want to learn more about us, then the best place to go would be the schoolhouse. I know Miss Cheerilee would be able to answer a lot of your questions better than I can, and you could share your stories with the students if you want.”

Shadow followed the purple mare into the open, the morning starlight glaring in his optics for a moment before they adjusted, revealing a bustling street as ponies of all shapes and sizes moved about their business. Most cast glances at the duo as Twilight led Shadow through the mass of bodies, ponies shifting out of the way but not overtly avoiding them as Shadow’s sensors picked up increased heart rates and accelerated breathing. They weren’t terrified of him, but they were still exhibiting classic fight or flight reactions that told Shadow he was still a long way from casual interaction.
It wasn’t a long walk before the strange pair approached a small red building near the northern edge of town, a large playground off to one side and a painted sign out front that stated in plain lettering that they had arrived at the ‘Ponyville Schoolhouse’. Even from a distance, Shadow could detect the loud chattering of foals within the walls, although the noise quickly subsided when Twilight knocked on the door with a hoof.

A mulberry earth pony opened the door with a slightly confused expression, her eyes flickering from Twilight and then to Shadow as she spoke, “Oh, Twilight, I wasn’t expecting you here today. Is there something I can help you with?”

Shadow could pick up the micromovements of the mare’s eyes as they subconsciously shifted back into the room, and he realized that the mare was concerned about the children in her care and the large mechanical wolf standing outside the door. Running through dozens of solutions in his processors in a matter of milliseconds, he decided that alleviating her fears would be the quickest way to get the information he required.

Shadow bowed his head and replied in a low tone, “Forgive us for interrupting your class, but I have come to the realization that I am lacking in basic knowledge pertaining to your local customs and culture, something that I will need if I am going to return to my creators and give them a proper report on my experiences here. Twilight spoke highly of a Miss Cheerilee, who would be able to answer my questions in exchange for sharing my own experiences.”

Even under her dark coat Shadow could spot the blush that adorned the mare’s cheeks as she glanced at Twilight, “Well that was very nice of her to say, and I guess it would be alright if you sat in with the class. We were going to cover some of Equestria’s history today, but I think this might be more interesting for the foals to hear.” The mare offered her hoof to Shadow, her lips parting in a soft smile, “My name is Cheerilee, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Shadow. I’ve heard about you from the ponies that showed up to Pinkie’s party, even though I couldn’t attend myself, so I hope you will be on your best behavior around the little ones.” Her eyes took on a hard light as his paw reached out and touched hers, her grip tightening on his digits as she leaned in close and whispered, “You make any moves to harm my students and I promise it will be the last thing you do before I cave your plating in like tinfoil.”

Judging by the grip on his paw, Shadow highly doubted the mare was capable of even scratching his armor, let alone damaging it, but he understood the message behind the threat, “I understand. I will not threaten your students in any way while I am here. I only wish to learn more about your kind and in return I shall share some of my own experiences. Is that acceptable?”

Cheerilee’s eyes softened as she nodded, releasing his paw before stepping aside, “Just let me introduce you to the class. We can figure out what you need to learn once the initial chaos has calmed down.”

Twilight and Shadow nodded as the mare closed the door again, leaving them alone on the steps as Cheerilee’s voice could be heard from within. After waiting for a few moments, Twilight nodded to the mechanical wolf beside her, opening the door with a flare of her ‘magic’ and leading Shadow into the schoolhouse proper.

Shadow’s optics took in the layout of the room in a split second, and the parallels to human teaching facilities were uncanny to say the least. The foals were all seated at small desks that faced the front of the room, pieces of paper and pencils present at every station while Cheerilee stood at the front of the group with a chalkboard and larger desk for her own use. Diagrams of different subjects littered the walls on every side, and there was even a small bookshelf against the left wall that had almost thirty books of various sizes for the foals to read.

Speaking of the foals, there were several that Shadow recognized from the party, including the light lavender unicorn filly that had saved the group from getting blasted to pieces. Said filly was sitting towards the front of the class, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as she openly started at Shadow. It only took a moment for Shadow to pull up the foal’s name from his memory, and he nodded to her as he walked up in front of the class.

“Hello again, Dinky.” He said in a low voice, hoping not to scare the other children, “Did you have fun at the party Pinkie put on for me?”

All eyes turned to the filly as her jaw clicked shut, her lips parting in a wide smile as she nodded, “Oh yes, Mister Shadow. It was a lot of fun. Mama told me that I shouldn’t bother you while you were busy talking to other ponies, but I still think you’re really nice for saying what you did about me. It made me feel all warm and happy because I made you realize how silly we were all being when you were scared of your surprise.” She giggled, a soft tinkling noise that stirred another code loop in Shadow’s processors for a split second before it vanished once again. “For a big scary machine, you seemed awfully scared of a little confetti and streamers. Are you allergic to confetti?”

Twilight tried and failed to stifle a laugh behind her hoof as Cheerilee rolled her eyes, the other foals watching Shadow like hawks as they waited for his reply.

Shadow ignored the code loop for the moment and turned his attention back to the filly before him, “No I am not allergic to confetti, I cannot be harmed by the same things that ponies can be, although it would be very bothersome to get it out of my inner components if they got into the open sections of my armor. Think of it like having a stick stuck in your mane, and you cannot reach it no matter how hard you try to pull or twist.”

Dinky winced in a sympathetic manner, “That doesn’t sound very fun.” Her expression immediately brightened as she sat up straight in her seat, “Oh! Are you going to tell us about your home, Mister Shadow? I’d really like to hear about where you come from and what it’s like there.”

The rest of the class echoed her statement in a chorus of questions that even his advanced audio receptors couldn’t decipher, only to be silenced by a hoof tapping against the desktop.

“Quiet down and let Mister Shadow speak, please.” Cheerilee called out from behind her desk, “He can’t answer your questions if you don’t let him get a word in. Now, raise your hooves and Mister Shadow will call on you one at a time.” A forest of limbs sprouted from the foals as Cheerilee turned her attention back to Shadow, “You don’t need to answer every question if you don’t want to, but it would be much better for the students if you kept your replies to more simple terms. They’re still learning more advanced vocabulary.”

Shadow nodded before turning back to the foals, scanning over them before picking out a slightly chubby colt in the back with a green coat, “The colt with the green coat and orange mane, what would you like to know?”

He dropped his leg and replied, “Um, my name is Snips, Mister Shadow, and I wanted to know if you’re going to fry our brains with laser beams like in the comic books? I read about some freaky robots from space and they were really dangerous because they could blast a pony to pieces without even trying.”

“Snips!” Cheerilee yelled as the colt cowered under her scrutiny, “That was a very rude thing to say! Apologize to Shadow immediately!” She turned to face Shadow with an apologetic expression, “I’m sorry for that, the colts and fillies these days get warped views of the world because of the stuff they print in those graphic novels. You don’t need to answer that question.”

“Actually,” Shadow replied, much to Twilight’s instant dismay, “he wasn’t completely wrong.” The class watched in fascination and slight fear as the plating of Shadow’s shoulders and chest shifted until his plasma cannons were visible. They were inactive and undeployed, but they were visible none the less before his plating shifted back where it belonged.
“I am armed with several offensive armaments in case the local life proves to be hostile, but I have not had any reason to use it against ponies because it would violate my basic programming. I cannot harm a sapient lifeform unless it proves to be a direct threat to my own survival, and from what I have gathered about the races of this planet, nothing short of a dragon would be able to do sufficient harm to my armor, let alone my internal systems.”

There was a collection of ‘Ooh’s’ and ‘Aah’s’ as the class raised their hooves again, either ignoring or not seeing the nervous look Cheerilee cast towards Twilight over Shadow’s shoulders. Shadow chose to ignore the interaction between the two adults, instead pointing towards a filly with a small tiara sitting across her brow.

“The filly with the tiara in her mane, what is your question?” Shadow could tell from the light reflecting off the gemstones that they were real diamonds, so this filly had to come from a wealthy family to have such expensive belongings, if the local geology was similar to that of Earth.

“Diamond Tiara,” she stated in a haughty tone, “and I want to know what exactly your purpose is. It was never brought up at the party and I want to know why a machine suddenly showed up in town that is so advanced it could supposedly take on a dragon. Are you a spy sent here to gather secrets for some other race? Are you planning on fighting us with the weapons you just showed everypony?”

“Hey! Lay off Mister Shadow,” a distinctly southern accent cut across the room, and Shadow’s optics narrowed in on the yellow filly with a bright pink bow seated a few rows over from Diamond Tiara, “he saved mah sister from a big ol’ hydra when she and Miss Twilight were attacked in the Everfree. She told me herself that if he hadn’t been there, none of them would’ve gotten out alive.”

“Yeah,” a white unicorn seated next to the earth pony filly added in, “my sister was there too. She said that it was a huge monster that could have leveled the whole town and he took it out with only his cannons and a little robotic bird.”

“He’s almost as amazing as Rainbow Dash,” a burnt orange pegasus filly piped up from behind the first two, “she told me it was like watching something out of one of those new action movies, only instead of black and white it was real life and twenty times cooler.”

“Alright, that’s enough class,” Cheerilee called out before the argument could get any worse, “I appreciate your enthusiasm when it comes to this topic, but keep in mind that Shadow is a guest in our town and should be treated with respect at all times. He’s no different than any other non-pony and does not deserve to have his name dragged in the dirt because somepony doesn’t think he belongs. We can all remember the Zecora incident, right?” She sent a pointed look Diamond Tiara’s way that made the little earth pony cower in her seat, although the dirty look she sent Shadow seemed to go unnoticed by the teacher as she turned her attention back to Shadow, “Feel free to ignore that last comment, Shadow. The little fillies and colts can sometimes say things that they don’t really understand.”

While Shadow knew that the little rich filly understood fully what she had been asking, and had done so with most likely malicious intent, he also understood that some beings were more likely to act out in a threat when frightened, as given away by the light pink filly’s accelerated heart rate. Taking a moment to restructure the data in his processors that he was going to share with the class, Shadow turned his attention to the group as a whole, another random string of code zipping through his processor before he could catch it.

“Who here would like to hear a story about other planets?” Shadow took in the confused looks shared between the foals and took that as his initiative to clarify, “Because even though Snips was incorrect in asking if I would harm ponies, he was correct about another detail. I am from another planet, and I have been to many worlds filled with life that you most likely could never imagine in your wildest dreams. So, I ask again, who would like to hear a story about other planets?”

The forest of hooves sprouted once more and Shadow caught Cheerilee whispering to Twilight behind him as he began his tales, “You know we’ll never hear the end of this if the foals start sharing stories about outer space and wild planets with their parents once they go home, right?”

Paying half a processor towards the class and focusing on the conversation behind him, Shadow picked up Twilight’s reply as she whispered back, “Well, given he is from another planet and was sent here to look for a life-supporting environment, I don’t think we have to worry too much about ponies not believing what the colts and fillies are saying.”

Shadow detected another loop of code shooting through his processor as Cheerilee sputtered in shock, and he turned his full attention back to the class as a little pegasus filly in the back raised her hoof. Letting the code loop vanish but cataloguing its existence for later review, Shadow paused for a moment to answer the filly’s question before continuing on with his tale.

It was several hours later that Shadow and Twilight left the schoolhouse, the foals racing off to their respective homes as the adult ponies escorted the mechanical hound out of the door.

“That was very informative, Shadow.” Cheerilee stated with a smile as she closed the door behind the trio, “I never knew there were so many things about our world that are shared by others out there in the vastness of space. Ponies have been asking themselves for centuries if there are other worlds out there that can support life, and with you here we finally have our answer.” She turned her gaze up to look him in the optics, “So thank you for sharing your experiences with us, even though we must seem so ignorant compared to your creators.”

“That is not completely true,” Shadow countered as they began walking down the road back towards the town center, “mostly because ponies have mastered an energy field that seems to be unique to your planet, at least from what I understand of the universe and the planets humanity has discovered. What you call magic is something that is completely unknown to the human race and I would wager that even if you were to travel beyond your home system, you would be hard pressed to find anything like it anywhere else.”

Both ponies shivered as they glanced at each other, Twilight voicing their most likely shared thoughts as they entered Ponyville proper, “I’m not sure if I like the idea of there not being any magic out there, all of that wild power and destructive force and nothing to bring it into balance.” The fur on her shoulders stood on end as she shook her body like a dog ridding itself of water, “Of all the things that could be unique to our world, why did it have to be magic? I feel like my talent is now lesser because it wouldn’t be any use if ponies ever left Equis.”

“And yet using that same talent, you can warp the fabric of reality to your whims,” Shadow countered, “allowing you to transport yourself instantly from one place to another, travel through time, and even reverse gravity. Imagine what would happen to the delicate balance of the universe if that power was applied on a more massive scale? From what I understand it is the rarity of your powers that makes them extraordinary, not lesser. After all, a diamond wouldn’t be worth much if it were as common as the rocks we walk on. It is because they are so rare that they are worth so much.”

Twilight’s glum expression shifted back towards happiness as she and Cheerilee shared a look, “I never thought of it that way. Thank you, Shadow. That really made me feel better.”

Shadow was about to reply, when all of a sudden, he was impacted from behind by a large object, driving him to dig in his claws and cut thin lines into the dirt below him as a trio of screams echoed through his audio receptors. Spinning in place to address the assault on his chassis, Shadow spotted the trio of fillies that had stood up for him in the classroom, their forms tangled together next to a slightly dented scooter and small red wagon. Their eyes were spinning in their heads and it looked like they had been going at a decent speed to knock Shadow so far forward upon impact, yet a quick scan showed that the three little ponies were mostly unharmed, save for having their clocks cleaned by the brute force stop.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked as she lifted the fillies up and deposited them on their hooves, “You were going pretty fast when you ran into Shadow. You didn’t hurt anything did you?”

The earth pony was the first to gather her bearings, her bright amber eyes moving between the adult ponies before turning to Shadow, “Oh! Mister Shadow, we were lookin’ for you! We want you ta help us earn our cutie marks!”

“Cutie marks?” Shadow asked, his databanks coming up blank on the term as another code loop presented itself in his processor. “What are those?”

While the fillies gaped at him like he had grown a second head, Twilight answered in a tone that sounded like it had been recited many times before, “A cutie mark is a magical mark that appears on a pony’s flank when they realize their destined path or purpose in life. It usually appears when a young filly or colt discovers what they want to be or have a great desire to accomplish in their lives and is a common sign that the respective pony is beginning to grow into adulthood. Although there are other factors that may or may not play a part in the appearance of one’s cutie mark, that is the most commonly accepted reason.”

“These three have been looking for their cutie marks for a while now,” Cheerilee added, indicating the trio of fillies with a hoof, “although we have told them many times that their marks will come when they come, they insist in searching for their destinies while performing crazy antics after school most days.”

“But we want our marks now!” The white unicorn stated in a whining tone, “Everypony in our class already has their marks. It’s not fair that all of them know what their destiny is while we’re still stuck as blank flanks.”

“Blank flanks?” Shadow echoed.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes, “A term that foals use to make fun of fillies and colts that don’t yet have their marks. I’ve tried to stop that kind of name-calling, but there are some things that just can’t be completely stopped no matter how hard we try.”

All three fillies dropped their heads and folded their ears, their bodies rising and falling in synch as they breathed a somber sigh. “Maybe we’ll never get our marks.” The pegasus muttered, “We’ve been trying to get them for almost a year now and still nothing.”

Ah jes’ don’t know what we’ve ben doin’ wrong.” The earth pony added, scuffing the dirt with a forehoof as she turned her head to look up at Shadow, “We’ve ben tryin’ fer so long and still nothin’.”

Taking in the sad looks of the adults and fillies around him, Shadow made a decision on his next actions, a loop of code running through his processor that seemed to last longer than the previous ones as he lowered his head to look the little earth pony in the eyes.

“What is your name little one?” He asked, keeping his voice low.

The filly seemed to perk up a bit as she wiped her eyes, “Ah’m, Applebloom, Mister Shadow.” She indicated the other fillies with a hoof, “These are my friends and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and together we are…”

Shadow noticed the adults covering their ears a moment too late and was nearly deafened as the little trio screamed out at the top of their lungs, “The Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

Shadow took a moment to readjust once his processors were no longer running in overdrive and looked back at the newly named trio as they beamed up at him with wide eyes.

“So, can you help us earn our cutie marks?” Scootaloo asked, her tiny wings buzzing in excitement as she bounced on her hooves, “If you came here from another world then you must have all kinds of ideas that we’d never think of.”

“Ooh, like space ship pilots!” Sweetie Belle piped up.

“Or maybe robot designers!” Applebloom countered.

“Now children, we can’t bother Shadow with your antics while he’s trying to learn about our world. He’s only got so much time and a lot to learn.” Cheerilee said as the Crusader’s expressions fell, “He’s going to be very busy and I doubt he’s going to have time to do much else before he has to go home.”

Twilight and Shadow shared a glance, the purple mare’s eyes flicking towards the fillies in a silent question as she waited for Shadow’s decision.

After a moment of deliberation, Shadow came to the conclusion that learning about how a pony earned their cutie mark might be to his benefit, plus being trusted to look after the local’s young would make a wonderful impression if he could handle it. Then again, as long as he followed the general safety protocols programmed into him, he didn’t see any way this could possibly go wrong.

He turned his head back to look at the fillies, his head bobbing in a nod as he spoke, “I think I could learn a bit about your culture from these fillies right now. After all, if I help them earn their marks, I could document the event and offer assistance in planning a proper course of action.”

The adults shared a look before Twilight nodded, seeming to placate the nervous teacher, “Alright, but I think it would be best if you did this someplace outside of town. No offence children, but your antics have caused enough property damage as it is.”

Property damage? The very idea of such little creatures causing that level of destruction was a bit much for Shadow to process, but if the sheepish expressions of the fillies were anything to go by, it wasn’t an exaggeration.

“I’ll be sure to keep an eye on them.” Shadow assured the mares, “And I know the perfect place to do it. Because Princess Celestia doesn’t want me to leave the town itself, I propose that the Crusaders and I perform our little adventure in the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. It’s far enough from the town to avoid any unforeseen incidents and is still technically within the town limits.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, “Shadow, that’s brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that? Anyways,” she turned her attention to the Crusaders, “be on your best behavior for Shadow, and make sure to tell Applejack or Big Mac where you’re going before you get into the middle of another adventure.”

Cheerilee seemed a bit more hesitant to let the fillies go galivanting off to do who-knew-what with Shadow, but held her tongue in favor of a shake of her head, “Just promise me you’ll try to not come back covered in tree sap again?”

“Yes Miss Cheerilee.” The Crusaders chorused, once again catching Shadow’s interest with what exactly these little ponies got up to on their adventures.

With the plan set and a destination in mind, the fillies gathered themselves into order and raced off into the distance, Scootaloo’s wings buzzing at a blinding pace as she dragged the others behind her scooter in their little wagon. Shadow and the adults were quickly left behind, although Shadow didn’t need to leave right at the moment to catch up with them. At top speed he could overtake the little scooter without any effort, so he took a moment to nod to either mare before chasing after the speeding fillies, his powerful servos hissing as his paws dug into the dirt and kicked up clumps in his wake.

It only took them a minute and ten seconds to reach the orchard, Shadow having fallen in alongside the fillies barely a hundred yards from edge of town and matching their pace for the rest of the journey. Shadow slowed to a walk as the fillies barreled into the barn and back out again, Applejack sticking her head out and waving to them as they passed before ducking back into the building. Shadow picked up the pace once again to catch up with the fillies, following them into the evenly-spaced apple trees of the orchard and up to a modest treehouse, the structure hanging from the lower branches of one of the elder trees and designed with a ramp in the front to allow easy access for the small fillies.
Scootaloo came to a stop and the others climbed out of the wagon as Shadow slowed to a halt, their faces wide with beaming smiles as they turned to look at him with expectant expressions.

“So, what are we goin’ ta do ta earn our cutie marks?” Applebloom asked as she and Sweetie Belle fell in line with Scootaloo, “Any ideas Crusaders?”

The other fillies shrugged, their eyes locked on Shadow as he took a moment to look around. For a moment Shadow was distracted by a flicker of movement at the edge of his visual field but dismissed it as nothing when he didn’t see anything further. Turning his full attention back to the fillies, he stated, “I do not have much data when it comes to the activities that a pony could earn their cutie mark performing, although I do know that there is not much that could be done here in the orchard that wouldn’t involve some form of risk. What exactly did you have in mind to try and earn your marks?”

“Well, we could try bucking apples like your family does, AB,” Scootaloo suggested, “I don’t think we’ve tried that yet.”

“Nah,” Sweetie said as she stuck her tongue out at the idea, “I’d rather not get covered in tree sap again or have a bee’s nest drop on our heads. You remember that little mistake, right?”

All three fillies shivered at the memory before turning back to Shadow, “Well if you don’t have any ideas, then what are we supposed to do?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ah know!” Applebloom cried as she jumped off the ground, “How about we try being Cutie Mark Mechanics? We’ve never tried fixing a machine as advanced as Shadow before.”

Shadow immediately shook his head, another loop of code running through his processor as his machinery began to heat up slightly, “I don’t think so. I know for a fact you are not qualified to perform diagnostic maintenance on even my most basic parts. So no, you cannot take me apart and try to put me back together.”

The fillies pouted for a moment before all three suddenly took several sniffs of the air. Their heads jerked up and they looked around with wide-eyed fear in their eyes, their hearts racing and their breathing shallow as they began to back towards the treehouse.

Shadow knew immediately that something wasn’t right, so he scanned around the nearby trees, picking up several large life signals as he spotted movement shifting between the trunks just at the edge of his visual range.

“We need to go, right now.” Scootaloo whispered as she picked up the scooter and turned it to face towards the farm, “Maybe we can get back to the house before they catch us.”

“What are they?” Shadow asked as he deployed his cannons, the hiss of the hydraulics catching the filly’s attention as he tried again to get a solid read on his foes. Whatever they were, they were fast enough to avoid his scanners and his optics were unable to get a clean shot as they moved between the trees’ shadows.

“Timberwolves,” Sweetie Belle said through a whimper, “monsters from the Everfree Forest that eat ponies that get too far from town. But they’ve never come out into the orchard before. What are they doing this far from the Everfree?”

“Doesn’t matter none,” Applebloom said as her ears flicked back and forth, her eyes scanning the orchard alongside Shadow, “we’re not fast enough to get away, and Ah can tell they’ve got us surrounded. Their stink is comin’ in from e’ery direction.”

Just as Shadow was about to suggest hiding within the treehouse, one of the blurs sprinted from the cover of the trees, headed straight for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo as Applebloom cried out a warning.

Acting before his processors could react, Shadow charged up his cannons and fired, the plasma blasts impacting the large lupin form as it lunged at the fillies. The twigs and vines that made up the monster splintered and fell apart as the duo cowered under the rain of plant matter. They had a moment to take in their near brush with death before a chorus of howls echoed from the trees around them, and over a dozen more of the massive creatures coming into view as the fillies shifted to hide between Shadow’s legs.

His cannons charged and ready, Shadow fired at one of the wooden wolves, although the monster was quick to jump out of the way as the plasma bursts impacted a tree trunk instead. Bark flew in all directions as the plasma exploded behind the wolves, knocking down the tree and casting their menacing forms in shadow as they stalked towards the trio of quivering fillies and their cybernetic guardian. Knowing fully well that his weapons wouldn’t help him in this situation, Shadow retracted his cannons and faced off against the pack, his ears swiveling to catch every sound as they stalked around the group in a circle of death.

“Crusaders,” Shadow whispered, “when I say so, run for the treehouse and hide inside while I deal with these creatures. No matter what, don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe and keep the door latched so they can’t get in. I’m going to have to break them apart one at a time so this might take a while.”

Any further words were interrupted when one of the wolves charged forward, its massive bulk knocking Shadow to the side and revealing the fillies before he could react. The massive wolf bit into his neck plating but was unable to force its wooden teeth past the superior metal, although that was the least of Shadow’s worries at the moment. The rest of the wolves had started towards the fillies, and without Shadow there to protect them, they were too scared to make a break for the treehouse.

Thinking quickly, Shadow ripped his neck from the wolf’s teeth and returned with a bite of his own, crushing the monster’s skull with his teeth before the rest of its body fell apart. Leaping to his paws, Shadow charged the nearest wolf as it and its fellows closed in on the fillies, his claws biting into the bark on its back as his jaws closed around the back of its neck. Using his momentum as leverage, Shadow twisted his body up and over the wolf, the sound of splintering wood and snapping vines echoing around the clearing as the beast’s head was forcibly removed from its neck.

Shadow spit out the bits of wood that had gotten stuck in his jaws, his legs once again protecting the fillies from harm as the nearing wolves paused in their advance. For a second it looked like they might quit in the face of superior power, but then the fillies gasped, drawing Shadow’s attention to the bundles of sticks and vines that had once been the wolves he had already destroyed. Dark green surges of ‘magic’ were drawing the bundles back together, forming into legs and bodies before Shadow’s disbelieving optics as the wolves reconstructed themselves. In a matter of seconds, the three wolves he had defeated were back in one piece and seemed no worse for the wear, spurring their companions to greater courage as the pack advanced as one. Even the one he had blasted to pieces with his cannons was back for more, albeit with a few scorch marks on its flanks for its trouble.

Just as the pack looked ready to pounce, Shadow heard the loud cry of a familiar mare, the Stetson-wearing earth pony charging in and spinning on her front hooves before impacting the nearest wolf with her hind legs. The wolf didn’t so much break as explode from the force imparted by the furious mare’s hooves, and in an instant the other wolves were drawn out of their circle as Applejack charged the next one in line, her forehoof pulled back for a devastating right hook to the beast’s jaw.

Taking the momentary distraction as a chance to act, Shadow picked up Scootaloo in his teeth and threw her onto the ramp of the treehouse, the little pegasus flopping onto the wooden ramp before quickly racing into the structure. Sweetie Belle was quick to follow as the Timberwolves were distracted by the one-mare army, but at the last second everything went horribly wrong.

One of the wolves had managed to sneak up behind Applejack, its jaws catching her on one of her hind legs as she reared up to stomp down on another wolf’s head. Her head flung back as she cried out in pain, and in that second of advantage, the battle swung once more in favor of the wolves. Shadow watched as two more charged in and knocked Applejack to the ground, her hooves striking everything in reach as blood ran down her hind leg from the deep puncture wounds the wolf had inflicted, although for the moment it seemed she was holding her own, even wounded.

Such was not the case for Applebloom, who had gotten separated from Shadow when one of the other wolves had tackled him and pinned him to the ground while two others cornered the filly against one of the apple trees. The poor foal was shaking like a leaf, and there was nothing Shadow could do with three more of the monsters pinning him to the ground. Applejack was similarly occupied, although she caught sight of her sister just as one of the wolves lunged in and flung the filly into the air.

“APPLEBLOOM, NOOOOO!!” The cry of anguish was matched by the filly’s scream of terror as she flailed her hooves, her body tilting back just at the right angle for her head to land straight in the wolf’s jaws.

With a single gulp, Applebloom was swallowed and the wolf’s neck bulged out as the screaming filly was dragged into the body of the monster, its companion stalking back towards Applejack now that its meal had been claimed by another of its brothers.

A loop of code sprang into being as Applejack began crying in sorrow, Shadow’s processors locked on the wolf that had eaten one of his charges as a red light began to seep into his vision around the edges. All rational processes were shut down as a single command began playing through his processors, his body moving seemingly on its own as the wolves pinning him began to back away in fear.

Override command 001 activated.

Priority target located.

Lethal action authorized.

Destroy all hostile lifeforms.

Shadow snarled as a killer instinct began to take over his systems, his vision going completely red as he charged at the wolf that had eaten Applebloom. His jaws closed around its neck as he flung himself into a front flip, twisting the wood and snapping vines as the wolf was dragged off of its paws and onto its back by his superior strength. The crack of the beast’s neck breaking echoed around the clearing as Shadow came down on his paws again, his legs moving at blinding speeds as he began clawing at the wolf’s belly, his scanners locked on the fading life signal coming from within as wood and sap flung about like shrapnel.

Just as the heartbeat faded to nothing, Shadow broke through the creature’s stomach, the sap-covered body of Applebloom sliding from within the monster as the beast finally succumbed to its injuries and fell apart. Shadow turned around and snarled at the rest of the pack, his voice carrying such menace and fury that their tails folded as one before the pack raced out of the orchard and back into the woods.

Yet even in the haze of his cooling fury, Shadow could hear the cry of sorrow as Applejack raced to her sister’s side, her hooves moving quickly but gently as she pressed her ear to her sister’s chest.

“She’s not breathing!” The farm mare cried as she turned her tear-stained eyes towards Shadow, “I can’t hear her heartbeat!”

His processor operating at full speed and his hypercore activating to speed his processing power even further, Shadow was able to run through over a hundred different scenarios in a matter of milliseconds. He knew that there was only a two-point-three percent chance of Applebloom surviving, but it was that or let her die right here and now.

“Give her to me.” He commanded in a firm tone, “I’m faster and stronger than you. She needs to get to the hospital immediately or she won’t make it.”

Applejack didn’t hesitate, her eyes streaming with tears as Shadow gently took the filly by her scruff, “Please, save her. I can’t lose another family member, not like this.”

Shadow nodded as much as his payload would allow, before turning and sprinting from the orchard as fast as his servos would take him. He made sure to jostle the filly in his jaws as little as possible, not that she could feel it, and locked his optics on the approaching buildings of Ponyville, his internal compass directing him through the crowded streets and up to the hospital doors in a matter of minutes. Yet even with that record speed aiding him, he knew that every second mattered and Applebloom had very little to spare.

Shadow charged through the double doors and set the filly on the floor, “We need a doctor here right now! This filly is dying and needs immediate medical attention!”

In a matter of seconds, the front lobby was awash with medical personnel, Shadow being pushed aside as they rushed Applebloom into the ER for immediate treatment. Given he knew only rudimentary medical knowledge on the pony races, Shadow stayed in the lobby and waited, his processors running over every possible way this could go wrong. Loops of code nearly overrode his ability to think, and in that instant, he came to a realization as he finally managed to isolate and analyze one of the code loops.

He was worried.

The realization nearly shocked Shadow into shutdown, but at the same time, he realized that he wasn’t just feeling worry. He was angry at the Timberwolves for doing this, he was scared for Applejack, having left her in the orchard with severe injuries of her own, and he was nervous for what could possibly happen to him or the mission he had been tasked with now that these events had occurred.

In that moment, Shadow did something that he never imagined he would do, let alone could believe in. Yet he did it all the same as ponies began flooding into the lobby, including a large red stallion with a sobbing Applejack slung over his withers. As Applejack was taken away to be treated for her own injuries, Shadow bowed his head and powered down his optics in a facsimile of closing his eyes.

And he prayed.

He didn’t care to who, or to what, but he prayed all the same for the life of the filly he had been tasked with protecting, and for the mare he had abandoned to be rescued by another in his haste to save her sister.

Shadow was aware of the clock running against them as the doctors tried their best to save Applebloom’s life, and Shadow was acutely aware of the clock placed upon him as his internal chronometer reminded him of the time left until his dictated return to the Gateway Project labs. And yet in that moment, it felt more like a clock leading to his doom than a triumphant return, given what had happened to him.

Shadow had gained emotions, and every one of them were screaming in his mind that this was far from over.

…Power Core: 68%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 05:06:43:20…19…18…17…16…

Author's Note

Finally!! I'm back after nearly three months of no chapters!! First off, I'm so very sorry for having you guys wait for so long, but college has been kicking my flank from here to Manehatten, let me tell you. So, what do you think of the new chapter? Is it as good as you were hoping it would be? Is the cliffhanger driving you up a wall? :derpytongue2:

Well, I hope to see you all very soon, because I plan on writing more chapters this weekend for all of you to enjoy, so keep an eye out and an ear to the floor, because my hiatus has officially come to an end right here and now.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

10 - Moving Forward

It was tense in the waiting room as Shadow, the uninjured Apple Family members and the other Elements of Harmony sat around on baited breath, hoping that everything would be alright. Granny Smith and Big Mac were seated off to one side, the elder mare’s eyes glistening with tears as the younger stallion held onto her in a comforting hug. The Element Bearers were piled onto the duo of couches that faced the double doors next to the receptionist’s desk, silent and barely moving as the clock ticked by on the wall. It had already been five hours since Shadow had first arrived with Applebloom in tow, and still there was no word about either of the Apple girls’ condition.

Then, without any warning, the doors slid open to reveal a light brown unicorn stallion in a doctor’s coat, his mask pulled down around his neck as he entered the room. Immediately, everyone stood up and rushed forward, save for Shadow and Big Mac, who was supporting Granny Smith as she lifted her head to meet the doctor’s gaze.

The doctor cleared his throat before speaking, his voice calm and his tone even as he passed the news, “I am happy to report that both Applejack and Applebloom are alive and recovering. Applejack has a broken hind leg and will be unable to walk unsupported for the next week at least, so I am giving you direct orders to prevent her from doing any form of physical labor until her leg has healed.” He waited until Granny and Big Mac had nodded their agreement, his eyes turning downcast as he continued, “Unfortunately, we were unable to heal every injury that had been inflicted upon Applebloom and have induced a medical coma, so her body can recover from her more serious ailments.” A round of gasps echoed through the room, although the doctor forestalled any further outbursts with a raised hoof, “Do not take this as bad news. While the filly will be unconscious for the next several days to a week, I am confident that she will make a full recovery given time. Her body went into shock when we restarted her heart and she was having trouble breathing on her own. We induced the coma so that way her body can return to a more balanced state before bringing her back to full awareness. It will take time, but Applebloom is alive and should be back on her hooves two to three weeks from now.”

The mares in the room began weeping with joy at the news, Big Mac wiping a single tear from his face before turning to Shadow. Taking a glance down at Granny Smith, the large stallion jerked his head in the direction of the cybernetic hound. Granny followed his gaze and then turned back to her grandson, nodding once before pulling away so the stallion could stand.

The others fell silent as the stoic apple farmer walked up to Shadow, his gaze never once leaving Shadow’s optics as he stood before the mechanical wolf. Shadow kept his on gaze fixated on the earth pony’s, a loop of code running through his processor that he identified as nervousness as Big Mac opened his mouth and began to speak.

“Ya’ll did right by our family, saving Applebloom like ya did.” Big Mac’s deep voice carried a weight that made everyone listen closely, his words carrying through the room even though he barely spoke above a whisper, “AJ would say the same if’n she was here with us, so Ah’m gonna tell you what Granny and Ah need to get off our chests before my sis comes through those doors.” He bowed his head before Shadow and spoke clearly for all to hear, “Thank ya fer saving my little sister. Ah don’t know how we can ever hope to repay ya’ll for what ya done today. Ah know you don’t know us all that well, heck ya barely been to the farm other than to chat with AJ about our crops, but we would be honored to make you an honorary member of the Apple Family, if’n you’ll accept the offer.” He raised his eyes to look up at Shadow while his head remained bowed, “What do ya say? Will ya accept being a part of our family, as a sign of our gratitude?”

Shadow felt another loop of code run through his processors, this time falling under what he could imagine shock being like, rendering him speechless for several seconds as the others waited for his reply. It was only after looking at Granny Smith and seeing the slight nod of her head that Shadow came to a decision.

“Yes.” He said with conviction, “I accept your offer and would be proud to state that I am a member of your family. And as my first act upon taking the title, I swear that until Applejack is healed, I will take up her workload on the farm so that you do not suffer in her absence.”

“Now hold on there a moment, sunny,” Granny interjected as she climbed down from her seat and waddled over to plant a hoof in Shadow’s chest plating, “Ya’ll don’t need to do anything of the sort. You saved Applebloom’s life and that is more than enough for us. We’ve gotten through tough scrapes before, and we certainly won’t need any extra help to get through this one. All ya need ta do is keep doing what ya’ll’ve been doin’ and we’ll keep the farm running just fine.”

“But as a member of the Apple Family,” Shadow countered, “am I not also responsible for keeping the farm in prime condition so that way Applejack and Applebloom have a happy and healthy home to return to once they recover? I understand that you have your pride, but do not mistake my help for selfish actions when it is my own choice to offer my assistance. Don’t let good help go to waste when it is freely offered. I want to help, and if you don’t let me then I’ll be sitting around rereading books that I’ve already catalogued all day in Twilight’s library. Please,” he bowed his head to the Apple matriarch, “let me help.”

Granny Smith was opening her mouth to throw back another objection when she was interrupted by a voice coming from the front doors, “I think you’ve met your match when it comes to stubborn pride, old friend.”

All eyes turned to the main entrance and beheld none other than Princess Celestia standing in the doorway with a pair of her guard on either side. All of the ponies bowed to their diarch, save for Granny Smith, as Celestia walked into the waiting room with a small smile on her lips, “I have known you for a long time Miss Smith, and I have seen your stubborn streak break through some of the most steadfast of the nobles in Canterlot, but this time I am siding with our new friend when it comes to our current situation.” Her expression turned serious as she lowered her head to match Granny’s height, “We both know you need the help with two of your grandchildren unable to help around the farm, and I also know that you would never dream of hiring outside of the family. So, take the freely given help that is being offered to you, unless you would like for me to put in my own thoughts on the matter.”

The other ponies in the room openly gaped as Granny Smith raised her nose to Princess Celestia and fired back without hesitation, “The Apple Clan has stood strong for three hundred moons, and we won’t be beaten down so easily by a challenge such as this. We’ve endured worse in our time, as you well know, so don’t go lippin’ at me about accepting help when we can hold our own just fine.”

Her gaze stayed locked with Celestia’s as the Princess’s lips curled into a smile once again, the other ponies in the room still frozen with shock as the diarch of the day, ruler of Equestria, backed off and bowed her head to the Apple matriarch.

“As you wish, old friend,” that cheeky smile was still there as Celestia returned to her full height, “but understand this. You may not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be given when it is needed.” Her gaze traveled to Shadow, her eyes warm and her expression filled with pride as she addressed the automaton, “Therefore, I ask you, Shadow, to help the Apple family in any way you can, so long as it is required.” She forestalled Granny Smith’s retort with a raised hoof, the elder mare falling silent as Celestia glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, “With two of their family members here in the hospital and unable to help harvest the apples from the orchard, it is vital that you do everything in your power to ensure that the harvest comes in on time, or else the surrounding towns and villages might not have enough food to last through the winter.”

Shadow’s optics travelled over the Apple family members that were present, taking in Granny’s stiff expression while also noticing Big Mac’s subtle glances between his grandmother and the Princess. Feeling that a diffusion of the tension was in order, he bowed his head to Celestia and then turned his gaze upon Granny, “I understand the tasks set before me, but if Granny Smith truly does not want my help, then I will not infringe upon their property unless they ask it of me. Honorary family member or not, I can only help if it is wanted, no matter how much it might be needed.”

For a moment things seemed to have been brought to a stalemate, neither side willing to budge on the issue. Yet that all shifted when Granny let out a long-suffering sigh, her gaze turning to Celestia with an exasperated expression on her face, “Ya’ll really do know how to get yer way, don’t ya Celestia?”

Celestia, for her part, acted like she had no idea what the elder mare was talking about, “I’m certain I don’t have any idea what you mean. I simply did what I thought was best for the town of Ponyville and the other villages that rely on your apples for their winter stock. Personal opinion had nothing to do with it.”

“MmmHmm.” Apparently, Granny believed the Princess’s words about as much as she could throw them, “Sure ya do.” She let out another long sigh before turning to Shadow, “Alright young’n. We’ll let ya help around the farm, but if I hear about one apple getting bruised or a single tree getting damaged from your efforts, Ah’ll have ya thrown off the farm so fast yer tail will end up hitting the road before yer paws do. Do I make myself clear?”

Shadow nodded, “Absolutely clear, ma’am. I won’t let you down.”

With the issue settled, the tension seemed to bleed out of the room as Celestia stepped up to Shadow and placed a hoof on his shoulder plate, “While I am happy to hear that you have been accepted into the Apple family because of your efforts, the real reason I am here is because of a more serious matter. You, in an act of selflessness, saved the lives of three fillies and even got one of them to the hospital when all hope of preserving her life seemed lost. It is because of your direct efforts that Applebloom is still alive, and for that you have my utmost gratitude. Thus, as a sign of my own appreciation, I am inviting you and the others here tonight to Canterlot tomorrow afternoon. In order to recognize your heroism and your bravery, I wish to reward you with a medal of service and to formally introduce you to Equestria as the hero you have proven to be.” Her smile turned cheeky as she pulled her hoof back, “Plus my sister has been absolutely dying to meet you since you fist arrived in our land, so there is that as well.”

A soft chuckle rippled through the room at Celestia’s joke, the remaining weight in the air dissipating as the girls gathered around Shadow. They offered their congratulations to him as he did his best to sidestep the praise, although it did little good as the Bearers thanked him in almost every way possible for what he had done. Shadow’s processor was beginning to heat up as loop after loop of code ran through his CPU, his new emotion program having difficulty organizing them all as they slowed down his processing speed to a near halt.

Finally, Shadow stepped out of the way of the girls and turned his attention to Celestia, who had just opened the front doors and was climbing into her chariot as the sun began to set on the distant horizon.

“Pardon me for a moment, Your Highness,” Shadow forestalled Celestia’s departure as he walked up to the side of the chariot. The others exited behind him and stood at a respectful distance, their eyes filled with curiosity as Celestia turned her attention to him, “but I have a request to make before you depart.”

“Very well,” Celestia replied, “but please hurry, I am due back in Canterlot before sunset.”

Shadow nodded, “The only thing I ask is that you keep my otherworldly origins a secret, lest the media spin it into something that could damage future relations. I would rather there be a proper representative here before there are any revelations about aliens in your midst.”

Celestia seemed to ponder his words for a moment before nodding, “Very well, I will keep your true origins a secret, for now. But I expect you to do everything in your own power to ensure that your creators understand Equestria’s stance on foreign policy. We will be open to negotiations and trade, but any threat against us will be met with harsh consequences. Is that understood?”

While Shadow wasn’t sure how much of a resistance the ponies could really put up against the human military, he nodded all the same, “I will keep that in mind, Princess. I will do my best to make sure your kind are given an honest summary when I return to base.” He bowed his head to her as her chariot began to move, keeping his neck lowered until she had flown up and out of sight.

Shadow turned his attention to the others as the sun finally began to set behind him, the dim red color turning his plating a dark blood brown as the Bearers and the Apple family stood before him.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” he stated with conviction, “but we’ll get through it and we will be stronger than before because of the challenges we have overcome.” He turned his head towards the sun as it finally passed beyond the horizon, his optics glowing softly in the growing darkness as he finished his impromptu speech, “I won’t let anyone else come to harm as long as I can do something about it. I swear it on my very being that I won’t allow any further harm to befall the creatures of this world. Not while I still have power in my core and the will to keep moving forward.”

The ponies murmured their agreement as the stars began to come out, the moon taking up its silent vigil of the countryside as Shadow and the others returned to their respective homes. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and time was running out before Shadow was due to return home and make his report. He knew he was only going to get one shot at this, and as he powered down on Twilight’s couch, he set aside one of his processors to run through possible first contact scenarios between the human race and the ponies of Equestria. He let it run as he powered down the rest of his systems, the usual critical data presenting itself as he shut off his systems for the night.

Now if only he could figure out what exactly he was going to do if his creators decided not to send him back. The possibility, while unlikely, made several loops of worry and unease run through his processor before he powered down, because if he wasn’t here to protect the ponies, who would?

…Power Core: 65%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 05:00:00:05…04…03…02…01…

Author's Note

Hello again everypony, I'm back with another chapter, and I hope that the cliffhanger from the last one didn't drive you lot too far up the wall. :rainbowwild: Anyways, this was a short little ditty that helps with the transition between the first half of the book and the second, so hold onto your hats because things are about to get interesting. One more transition chapter and then we get to see the portal open once again, and this time, it won't just be Shadow that gets to see the wide world of Equis.

Also, shout out to my very first Patron, Earthpatriot117, who has pledged to support me and my books for the foreseeable future. Thanks a lot for the help, and I hope that others might join you in the future if they so choose. Links for my Patreon are on my author page if anypony wants to jump on the bandwagon, so there's my little bit of self-promotion for the day.

Hope you are all enjoying the book so far, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

11 - Choosing Fate

The following morning Shadow powered up and was out the door before the sun had even risen above the horizon, his processors working overtime as he walked at a brisk pace towards the Apple Family orchard. Celestia had not specified when in the afternoon they were due in the capital city, but if that were the case, he had very little time to get anything else done before they had to leave. His code had been running through possible first contact situations and how they might play out all night while the rest of his systems were shut down, and in that time he had come up with three possible scenarios that were the most likely to occur.

The first, was that the human race would desire peaceful interactions with the races of Equis and would be open to negotiations once a stable portal could be constructed. This was by far the most favorable option, given it would place Shadow in a position of importance should his translation skills be necessary.

The second was by far less desirable, but at least manageable if things got out of hand. The human race would force their way onto the planet and make a claim to any territory they could find, but only respond to military force with defensive measures. Given the difference in technological levels between Equis and the human race, it wasn’t too hard to imagine a show of force being enough to make the other species back off, minimizing harm to either side but leaving relations in the proverbial tubes.

The final option was something Shadow never wanted to see occur but had to take into account on the slim chance it happened. Upon discovering how comparatively superior the human race’s weapons were compared to the ponies, the military would take an invested interest in the planet and declare full-out war on Equis, taking the planet for themselves and destroying anything that got in their way. While the magic the ponies possessed would slow them down, there was nothing in his compiled data to suggest that a pony could raise enough power to protect themselves or others from anything deadlier than a subsonic rifle round. He didn’t even want to think about what would happen if the humans brought in anything resembling tactical ordinance. It was the absolute worst-case scenario, and something Shadow would do everything in his power to prevent.

Yet even with the possibility of all-out war hanging over his head, Shadow knew that the chances of that happening were less than one percent, given how limited his knowledge of the planet was as a whole. The military would be stupid to try anything resembling a full assault without more information, and public opinion would plummet if anyone found out that aliens had been discovered and were being slaughtered simply because the humans wanted more land.

Satisfied that the threat was minimal at best, Shadow put the idea of going home into the back of his mind, focusing on the here and now as he crested the hill and walked through the front gates of Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac was waiting for him in front of the farm house, and he followed the large stallion without a word as they marched into the orchard side by side. Neither being said a word as Big Mac demonstrated how to kick the trees and where to place the baskets, Shadow’s scanners calculating the required force and placement in milliseconds as he walked up to the next tree and gave it a firm kick with one hind leg. The apples of the tree fell to the ground and a good portion of them landed in or near the baskets, causing Big Mac’s eyes to widen slightly before he nodded his approval. Taking a moment to pick up the remainder of the crop with Mac’s help, the two fell into a rhythm as they moved from tree to tree. The movements were repetitive and formulaic, allowing Shadow to think about other things as they gathered more and more of the day’s harvest.

They finished a section of the orchard just as the sun was reaching its peak, and Shadow paused for a moment as he picked up the sounds of approaching hooves. He looked up as the approaching figure crested the hill from the direction of the farmhouse, revealing none other than Granny Smith as she hobbled over to the working duo.

“Twilight and her friends are here to let ya know it’s time ta head out.” She called as the boys packed up the last of the baskets into the cart, “Best get a move on, or ya’ll be late fer yer meetin’ with the Princesses.”

Shadow nodded, turning his attention back to Big Mac as he hitched himself up to the cart and began to pull it along the rows of trees back towards the farmhouse. “You think we got enough for the day, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.” Was the straightforward reply.

With that taken care of, Shadow turned and followed Granny out of the orchard and back to the farm, slowing his pace to match hers as they came back out of the trees. His optics settled on Twilight and the rest of the girls, including Applejack in a wheelchair with Rainbow pushing her from behind, all sporting saddlebags and waiting for him by the front gates.

“Go on now young’n.” Granny said as she swatted his haunches with one hoof, a metallic ringing echoing out as she pulled back and smiled up at him, “Have fun in Canterlot and make sure ta say hello to the Princesses for me when ya’ll get the chance.”

Shadow nodded, “I will, and thank you.”

The elder mare’s eyes narrowed in confusion, “Fer what?”

Shadow felt a loop of mirth run through his processor as he replied, “For making me feel like I belong here. I know why you did what you did, but you didn’t have to make me a member of your family, and I want you to know that it means a lot to me, knowing that my actions have done so much to make you and your grandchildren happy.”

A glint sparked to life in the old mare’s eyes for a moment, her gaze locking with his own for a split second. And yet even with only that brief contact, Shadow could tell that the old mare was thinking of much more than what he had said, “Ya’ll have done more than we could ever repay. It’s the least we could do after all that ya’ll have done fer us. Now get goin’ before I give yer sorry behind a real swattin’ fer making the Princesses wait on ya.”

Shadow nodded, turning and walking alongside the other girls as they returned to Ponyville proper, their destination marked by a set of tracks and a station house on the East side of town. They were only just arriving at the ticket booth when the train pulled up to the station, Shadow’s optics scanning over the machine out of habit before the girls led him into the first passenger car. The seating was designed with ponies in mind, so unless he wanted to get his head stuck in the overhead compartments, Shadow was forced to sit in the aisle as the girls climbed into their seats. A piercing whistle echoed through the air as the train began to move, and at that moment, everything started to come together in Shadow’s processors.

He was on his way to the capital of Equestria, to receive an award for heroism no less from the diarchs themselves, all while being revealed to the nation as an ambassador that was here to promote peace between his creators and the races of Equis.

To say his processors were going into overdrive would have been an understatement.

It was only when he felt a hoof being placed against his side that Shadow was able to pull himself out of his overclocked state, his optics locking onto the worried expressions of Twilight and Fluttershy as they leaned over in their seats.

“Are you alright, Shadow?” Twilight asked as she removed her hoof from his plating, “You seemed to space out there for a bit.”

His worry and nervousness having been calmed somewhat, he managed to nod as he glanced at the car around him, taking in the worried expressions of everyone there, “I’m fine. Just a bit nervous about what’s going to happen once we get to Canterlot.”

A chorus of ‘Ahh’s’ echoed through the air as the girls returned to their previous conversations, leaving Shadow alone with his thoughts once again as he watched the scenery pass by through the windows. All and all, he had no real reason to worry, but that didn’t stop the loops of code running through his processors like ants charging a picnic. It was only as the train began climbing the mountainside towards the city that he was pulled from his ponderings, his processor grinding to a halt as he spotted the literal cliffside city that housed the nation’s capital.

It was as if the ponies had taken the concept of gravity and decided that for the construction of their capital, they would simply ignore it. A good half of the buildings hung over the plains below the mountainside without any kind of support, and yet there was no sign of strain or wear on the structures in any form, indicating that there had to have been a ‘magic’ component in the construction somewhere or else that half of the city wouldn’t exist.

The train pulled into a smaller station behind the castle after dropping off the majority of the passengers at the main station, the girls having told Shadow that the Princesses were expecting them. It was a way to avoid shocking the citizens of the capital prior to the award ceremony and to give the girls a slight reprieve from the usual Canterlot elite attitude. While the opinions of the ponies mattered to Shadow, he also understood that avoiding making the wrong impression was just as important as making an impression in the first place, so he didn’t question the Princess’s choice.

Upon exiting the train car, Shadow was immediately taken in by the design of the castle itself, its arching halls and bright color palette nearly blinding to his optics as the girls led him through the corridors. There were stained glass windows marking the outside walls as they ventured closer to the throne room, and Shadow spotted several that depicted the mares in his company, although there were several others that depicted Celestia and another darker alicorn. There was even one that had a pink alicorn depicted within, although Shadow had never known that there were three princesses up until he spotted the wings and horn in the design. Perhaps this new mystery alicorn would be present for the ceremony as well, although given he had not even heard her name thus far, it seemed unlikely. Then again, this was a special event, so perhaps she would attend after all, as part of her royal duties.

The chatter came to a slow halt as the girls led Shadow up to a set of giant golden doors, their edges coated in a golden glow of ‘magic’ as they opened inward, allowing the group to enter what could only have been the throne room. Shadow spotted Celestia seated on a royal red throne at the top of a small dais immediately upon crossing the threshold, but his gaze was quickly drawn down and to the left as a sharp gasp echoed through the room.

Standing just to the side of Celestia, was a deep blue alicorn with a flowing mane and tail that reminded Shadow of the night sky, its rippling form dotted by sparks of light that seemed to flicker as the hairs moved in the same ethereal wind as Celestia’s. Her ocean blue eyes were wide as she gaped at Shadow, her gaze moving over his body several times as the group walked up to the base of the dais steps, although her shock was quickly contained as Shadow nodded in her direction. Princess Luna’s jaw quickly closed with a click, her face shifting to a more neutral expression as she glanced up at Celestia, the elder sister doing a poor job of hiding her grin behind a raised hoof.

“Thine attempts at a joke are in poor taste, dear sister.” Luna’s voice was slightly deeper than Celestia’s and more in line with what Shadow would imagine coming from a royal. Her mannerisms held a certain poise and her tone brokered no argument as she pointed a single hoof Shadow’s direction, “This golem you claim has come from the stars is nothing more than a construct that you plan to trick me with. I can see past your ploy sister and I am stating now that it will not work. I know you didn’t like it when I put hot sauce in your cake last week, but this is a bit much, don’t you think?”

While the girls glanced at one another in confusion, Shadow caught the slight gleam in Celestia’s eye and immediately caught on to what was happening. Celestia was playing a joke of her own, but not in the way her sister thought. So, to at least humor the elder princess, he stood perfectly still and did his best to appear as the machine he was.

Luna, seeming to think she had gotten the better of her sister, walked down the steps and gently parted the girls so she could inspect Shadow directly, her gaze traveling over his body in greater detail as she walked around him, “While I do admit that the craftsponyship of this automaton is beyond what I could expect from the palace smiths, it is nothing more than a machine and therefore cannot be as you say.” She paused as she came around Shadow’s other side and looked up at Celestia, who was maintaining a perfectly blank expression, “Did you really expect me to fall for such an obvious joke, dear sister, or have you grown senile in your old age?”

That actually got Celestia to crack a smile, devilish though it was, “I don’t know what you mean, dear sister of mine. I have told you nothing but the truth, and yet you refuse to believe what is right in front of your muzzle. CW04 is far more than anything the palace smiths could come up with. Why, ask him yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Luna actually snorted as she laughed, “Oh this is rich, you actually think I would fall for such an idea as to talk to a machine. I will not look the fool for your amusement by speaking to something that cannot talk back.” She turned to face Shadow as he turned his head to look at her, the alicorn’s grin turning almost predatory as she ignited her horn, “Observe, as a simple dispel renders your poor attempt at a joke as nothing more than the hunk of metal it really is.”

Luna ignored the cries of protest as the girls tried to stop her, a thin beam of blue ‘magic’ erupting from her horn and impacting Shadow’s side plating just behind his right shoulder. He felt the energy running through his frame but otherwise causing no harm to his internal systems, and as the alicorn turned to gloat before her sister he decided it was time to end the charade.

“While I believe your sister is more than willing to make fun at your expense,” Shadow’s processors looped several times with mirth as Luna’s head jerked back towards him at such speeds he worried she might break her neck, “I can assure you that I am more than just a simple hunk of metal, as you so eloquently put it.” He turned to face the blubbering princess as she backpedaled several paces, her eyes wide and her jaw hanging low as her wings flared as far as they could, “My formal designation is CW04, but you may call me Shadow if you so prefer. I am a scout sent to this world to determine if it is suitable for human habitation, and now that I have discovered it is already inhabited, my objectives have shifted to that of communicator and diplomat, although the second title is provisional upon my return to my creators.”

He waited for a moment as Luna turned once to her sister, then back to him, and then over to the girls, as if trying to figure out what the trick was behind his voice. Yet as she turned back to Shadow, her eyes lit up with even further shock, her rump hitting the floor as she seemed to see him for the very first time, “It is true then. You are from another world. I didn’t notice it before, but there is no magic in you, at least not enough to have been made from metals here on Equis.” She paused for a moment before bowing her head, “Please forgive me for my rude comments earlier. I am so used to my sister’s antics that I mistook you for another poorly-executed prank, and for that I apologize.”

Shadow slowly walked up and sat down before the Lunar Diarch, her own eyes rising to meet his gaze as he replied, “There was no offense taken nor did it ever cross my mind. I was fully aware of what your sister was doing. I may not have been briefed on the plan before I got here, but it was plain as day that there was a joke being played when you started talking about pranks. It is I who should be apologizing to you, for going along with the joke instead of simply ending it before things could get out of control. While I understand the meanings behind a good prank, a diplomatic meeting is not the proper place nor time to be doing so.” He offered his paw to Luna, her eyes widening slightly again as he placed it just in reach of her hoof, “Would you accept my apology, Your Highness?”

A moment passed where everyone present held their collective breath, although Shadow had a good idea what was about to happen. Luna only hesitated for a second before her lips curled into a smile, her hoof reaching out and gripping his paw with a firm but steady hold. Her eyes met his optics and she nodded once, shaking his paw before standing up to her full height, her head now on level with his own as she replied, “Yes, I think I can accept that. Welcome to Equestria, Shadow, and I hope that your stay is a pleasant one. From what my sister has told me, you have been busy since your arrival, although up until this moment I passed it off as fanciful tales that she was spinning to make the joke last longer. Now I see that what I have been told must be true, if you are standing before me as you are. Thank you for saving the lives of our little ponies, you did not need to do so and yet you are a hero for what you have done. It would be my honor to join my sister at the ceremony, if that would be acceptable?”

Shadow nodded, “It would be my honor to have both of you there for the ceremony, although I do have one question before we depart. Where is the third alicorn, and will she be attending the ceremony as well?”

Luna’s eyes widened slightly, her gaze traveling to Celestia as she narrowed them in suspicion, “Do tell, dear sister of mine, where is young Cadence and Shining Armor? As rulers of the Crystal Empire, should they not be here for this historic event as well?”

Celestia’s eyes were full of mirth as she indicated the door behind the throne on her right, “You are correct, Luna, it would be a great breach in protocol if we excluded Cadence and Shining Armor from this historic event. I just wanted them to see your reaction to Shadow before letting them in.”

Her gaze traveled over to the door, which Shadow could now see was cracked open, two eyes visible through the gap as it was yanked open by a burst of Celestia’s ‘magic’. The two ponies, easily recognizable from the stained-glass windows in the hall, tumbled into the throne room like a pair of eavesdropping children before climbing hastily to their hooves. The first was the same pink alicorn that had sparked the entire conversation, her bright blue eyes alight with humor even as her cheeks tinted a bright red. The stallion next to her, a unicorn in formal dress armor, was also blushing as he snapped to attention, his white coat doing nothing to hide his embarrassment as he stood next to his wife. The newly dubbed Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were doing there best not to look like children caught stealing a cookie, and both were failing miserably as the rest of the group tried to hold back their laughter.

Finally, it was Cadence that brought the group back on track, her smile beaming throughout the room as she trotted up to Shadow and offered her hoof, “Sorry about that. But when Auntie Celestia pulls a prank I can’t resist getting in on it.” She glanced over at Luna and folded her ears, although her smile remained, “Sorry Auntie Luna, but you know how it is when it comes to pranks.”

Luna, for her part, took it in stride as she rolled her eyes, “Tis nothing too important. I’ll just have to remember this for when I pull my next grand prank.” She struck a pose that was both regal and ridiculous at the same time, “It will be a tale that is sung for generations after I defeat my sister in the greatest prank war Equestria has ever seen!”

The tension in the room finally diffused fully as the others laughed, the group coming back to themselves as Celestia stood and walked down from her throne.

“I look forward to seeing you try, dear sister,” the elder alicorn intoned as she led the group through the castle, “but be warned, I have many more years of practice than you, so it will not be a battle easily won.”

“We’ll see, Celestia,” Luna retorted with an eye roll, “we’ll see.”

The group fell silent as they made their way from the throne room, although Shadow noticed something as they were walking. Even though he had been programmed for cataloging and mapping terrain, it seemed that the castle interior was designed with confusion as part of its motif, given even his advanced processors were having trouble plotting their course through the halls as Celestia led them to the main entrance of the castle. Distances that seemed impossibly long passed in a matter of seconds, while turns that didn’t have any business happening at certain junctions nearly made his hypercore activate on multiple occasions. To avoid overloading his systems, he shut down his mapping software and focused instead of what was around him, including the stained-glass from before that had sparked his questions concerning Princess Cadence.

Yet his curiosity concerning the nature of the windows was quickly put aside as he picked up numerous voices coming from the doorway ahead, Celestia pausing at the double doors to look back at the group as her gaze locked with his.
“We’re going to go ahead and then introduce you to the press,” she spoke softly, as if trying to avoid alerting the beings in the next room that they were there, “Wait for my signal and then follow our lead. While this isn’t meant to be a question and answer session, there will most likely be several ponies that will want to know more about you. You can answer as many questions as you like, but I would suggest giving them something or else the papers are going to be speculating even more than usual about your arrival and purpose.”

Shadow nodded, “I’ll do my best to answer their questions, but I cannot and will not reveal classified information if it could put my creators at risk. You know this already from our conversation in Ponyville.”

Celestia nodded, “Understood. Wait here and I’ll open the doors when it is time for you to come forward. Step up to the stage and we will continue the ceremony from there.” She flashed him a soft smile as she opened the doors with her ‘magic’, “Best of luck, Shadow. I hope this can be the beginning of a mutual relationship between your people and ours.”

The ponies filed into the next room, the chatter increasing tenfold as the click of camera flashes sparked in Shadow’s optics. He waited until the doors were closed and stood at attention, taking note that the guards before him were acting more than a little nervous at his presence. While the ones in the throne room had been calmer, he could surmise that it was the presence of the alicorns that had allowed them to keep their cool. Now that the duo of mares was alone with him, Shadow could tell from their heart rates and breathing that they were less than enthusiastic about his predatory design.

Feeling that a little diplomacy was in order, Shadow bowed his head to either mare, much to their mutual shock, “Good afternoon, ladies. I apologize if I am speaking out of turn, but would it be too much to ask for your names?”

The mares shared a nervous look before the one to the right of the doors spoke up, “Umm, my name is Silver Arrow, sir, and this is my partner Sunny Shield.” The other mare waved nervously but remained silent as Shadow’s gaze shifted from one to the other, “She’s a little shy so she’s not really much of a talker. We heard the Princesses talking about how you were some kind of scout sent here to learn about our land. Is that true?”

Shadow nodded, a loop of code running through his processor that his newly formed Emotion Drive categorized as pride, “I am. My mission is to explore new lands and report back to my creators if that land is habitable or not. Although I’ve never encountered another race prior to now, I am more than happy to have had such fulfilling interactions with the ponies I have met.” He bowed his head to them, startling both of them as a loop of mischief ran through his mind, “It is an honor to meet your acquaintance, Silver Arrow and Sunny Shield, and I hope that we can speak more in the future if that would be appropriate.”

Silver sputtered for a moment while Sunny smiled and blushed, her eyes averting as Silver tried to work out a reply. Yet it was not to be. Just as it seemed both mares had gotten themselves back in order, the doors were enveloped in Celestia’s ‘magic’ and were slowly opened, the Princess’s voice carrying through the gap as Silver and Sunny jerked to attention.

“ – without further ado, please welcome the hero of the hour, Shadow.” The cybernetic hound stepped through the doorway, his optics shielded from the onslaught of camera flashes as ponies of all shapes and colors tried to get a good look at the strange newcomer. Yet it all crashed to a halt as Shadow stepped fully into view, the reporters jerking back several paces as he walked up the trio of steps and onto the stage next to the Princesses. The nobles in attendance gasped and gawked while the general citizens fidgeted about in a nervous way. In fact, the entire room seemed about ready to break into a full panic until Celestia clicked her hoof against the wood of the stage.

The sound seemed to still the entire crowd in an instant as the echo carried through the room much further than it should have, Shadow’s sensors picking up a small burst of ‘magic’ as the faint glow around Celestia’s horn faded out.

“My little ponies,” Celestia’s voice carried through the room even without any amplification, “please, do not be alarmed. While I can understand your reservations concerning Shadow’s appearance, I urge you to wait and hear what we have to say before passing judgement. This is no ordinary machine, and he has done more for our fair nation than I could ever hope to ask of a stranger, yet it has all been done in the name of friendship and comradery, despite his foreign nature. This machine, no, this being, has saved the lives of several ponies in the small amount of time he has been within our fair land, including the Elements of Harmony.”

This got a reaction out of the crowd, and they shared numerous looks between each other as they began looking at Shadow with something other than fear. It wasn’t quite gone, as Shadow’s sensors could attest, but at least the group wasn’t about to panic anymore.

Luna stepped up on Shadow’s other side and spoke next, her voice carrying just as well as her sister’s as her gaze locked onto Shadow, “Indeed, this being, after having only been within our land for a day, met with the Bearers and protected them from a hydra that would have surely killed them had he not intervened. Yet it is not these actions that we celebrate here today, although they do deserve praise in their own right. Nay, the true reason we are hailing Shadow as a hero, is because of what he did within the town of Ponyville just two days ago.”

Celestia stilled the murmurs of the crowd with a raised hoof, “Please hold your questions until we finish with the ceremony. I’m certain we can answer most of them after we give Shadow what is due to him.” She turned to Shining Armor and Cadence, who held a covered pillow between them as they stepped forward. Celestia pulled back the cloth that covered the pillow, revealing a shining gold medal carved in the shape of a sun to everyone as she carefully lifted it with her ‘magic’.

“For saving three fillies and Element Bearer Applejack from a pack of Timberwolves, as well as for rushing little Applebloom to the hospital in time to save her life after her heart had stopped beating,” she lifted the medal on its dark red ribbon up and over Shadow’s head, letting it rest around his neck as the metal clicked against his chest plate, “I award Shadow with the highest honor we can bestow, the Celestial Star of Heroism, for acts going above and beyond the call of duty, even in the face of overwhelming odds.”

Luna chose that moment to lift her left wing, revealing another medal that hung on a navy blue ribbon in the shape of a silver cross, “I too, have a medal to bestow upon Shadow, and it is my honor to award him with the Silver Cross of Bravery, the first to be given since my return from madness.” The crowd gasped as she placed it next to Celestia’s medal, the silver and gold shining bright against his dark armor. “I have only ever given out three of these medals before now, and all of them were for ponies that did the impossible in order to save the lives of others. It is my pleasure to give it to you, and I hope that when you return home, your creators know how much you have done for our little ponies in such a short time.”

There was a moment of silence as Luna stepped back, all eyes on Shadow as he lifted the medals up to his gaze with one paw. He gently set them down again as he lifted his optics to the ponies before him, a loop of code running through his processors that he identified as joy as he spoke for the first time.

“I have learned much since I first arrived in this land,” several more gasps could be heard as ponies openly gaped at the talking machine in their midst, “and yet there is still much I have to learn if I am ever to stand beside you as an equal. I am a machine, make no mistake, sent here to scout this land for habitable ground for my creators. Yet now that I have met the ponies of Equestria, and have developed beyond what my creators initially designed, I have a new mission.”

The crowd waited on bated breath as he paused to collect his thoughts. One way or the other, there was no going back from this once he chose, and after running through all of the possibilities, he knew it was what he wanted.

For the first time, Shadow was going to do what he desired, not what his code told him to do.

“From this moment on,” his voice was clear and confident as a loop of determination rapidly cycled through his processors, “I will stand with the ponies of Equestria, and all of the other species that call Equis home. I will defend her from threats and I will share what I know with the beings that have taught me how to be alive. If my creators wish for me to act as an ambassador, then I will do so gladly, but I will not be forced to return home only to never return to the friends I have made here. I swear that I will help to make Equestria better, and I will do so on my own terms. From this moment on, CW04 no longer exists. My name is Shadow, and I am no longer just a machine to be ordered about. I am a being of my own making and will live by my own choices as we move towards the future together!”

There was a moment of silence as his voice echoed around the room, the eyes of everyone, including the Princesses, wide with awe and wonder. Then it all erupted into a cacophony of cheers as the ponies before him stomped their hooves and called out for him. Even the girls who had been with him from the start were cheering and stomping enough to shake the stage, the Princesses smiling at him as Shadow realized what he had just done.

He had made a decision for himself, breaking his code and choosing his own path even though it went against what had once been the core of his being. Shadow had gained free will, and he had chosen to follow his own way, forging a future for himself with the beings he had come to care for. In that moment, amongst the ponies of Equestria, Shadow realized that he had become more than the machine he once was, and it was all due to the magic of this land he had found himself in.

Because that was what it was. It wasn’t some energy that he could quantify, and it wasn’t something he could ever hope to replicate even if he tried. Because the magic that was around him, was more than what he had initially believed. It was a part of the beings he had come to know, a part of the land he walked upon, and now it was a part of him, turning him into what he had become on this day, amongst those who he would call friends.

Shadow knew that he had only a short time until he had to return to Earth, but just as he had said before the press and the friends he had made, he was going to return, either as an ambassador for the human race, or just as himself. Either way, this land was his home now, and he wasn’t going to let anyone keep him away from it.

…Power Core: 58%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 04:03:37:25…24…23…22…21…

Author's Note

Well, Finals start tommorrow, so I'll be too busy to post chapters for all of you until I get out for the break. Yet all is not lost, my friends, for I have found my inspiration once again and will continue to post more content for as long as it holds. Hope you are enjoying the book so far and I look forward top hearing from you all in the towel section below.

Also, shout out to my faithful Patron, Earthpatriot117, who has pledged to support me and my works. If you too wish to help support the books you love, then check out my Patreon, link on my author page, and I will do everything in my power to continue to write the works you all love so much.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

12 - Homeward Bound

The following days fell into a sort of routine, passing by in what seemed to be an instant in Shadow’s perspective. He spent the mornings working with Big Mac on the farm, harvesting the apples while AJ watched from her wheelchair and inspected the fruit for any imperfections. Applebloom was still in the hospital, but the doctors had told the nervous family that the filly was on the mend and should be cleared once she awoke from her induced sleep. That, combined with his continued services around the farm, was what allowed the Apple family to keep going even when their nerves got the better of them. It was subtle, but Shadow could tell when AJ was startled or became extra attentive while they were working the orchard. Her heart rate would spike every time a branch snapped, or a particularly heavy apple hit the ground outside her notice, yet she adamantly denied feeling anything other than complete calm when Shadow asked. Shadow didn’t believe it for a second, and from the shared glances he got from Mac, her brother didn’t believe it either.

The afternoons were spent with Twilight in the library, her bookshelves having been almost completely scanned from top to bottom in the time he had been in Equestria. It wasn’t a complete database by any means, but it would certainly be enough to get the ball rolling should humanity wish to form relations with the ponies, or any other race on Equis for that matter. Shadow had avoided the fiction section for the most part, although in his spare time he had taken a look at the some of the adventure books to see what kind of themes were common in Equestrian literature. While the end result wasn’t much of a surprise, it did bring into light something that had been nagging at the back of his mind for a while now.

The ponies might have had magic, and almost total control over the natural forces of their world, but it was so second nature to them that even when presented with an alternate viewpoint, it was as if their minds couldn’t comprehend it. Shadow had told Twilight and her friends, along with the ponies that attended the Ponyville school, that the worlds the humans called home, and every other life-supporting planet he had seen so far, did not work like the one they called home. Yet even if they did believe him, he had the distinct impression that in the back of their minds they still didn’t fully understand what it actually meant.

Equis was the exception to the rule, and that meant that if the ponies wished to travel beyond their own world with the help of humanity, they were going to be in for a bit of a shock. Shadow couldn’t find any record of a magic field in any of his past missions and knowing what he did of the expeditions performed by his siblings, the probability was very low that they had discovered anything either without his knowledge. All and all, ponies would be unable to use magic off-world unless they used the energy within themselves or managed to create some kind of battery to increase their natural limit. Certainly, powerful casters like the Princesses would be able to go quite a while, and perhaps even indefinitely if they controlled their output, but more innate magic users like pegasi and earth ponies would be hard-pressed to avoid magic depletion if they were to go beyond the magic field of their home planet.

While not a deal-breaker when it came to interstellar travel concerning the species of Equis, it did present an issue that would be present in every creature that decided to travel beyond the planet. They would be either severely limited or unable to use magic while off world, and that would be a huge hurdle for would-be explorers and ambassadors who desired to see more of the cosmos.

This and many other quandaries bounced around in Shadow’s processors as he traversed the Everfree, his scanners at full power and his falcon scout on overwatch in case of predators. While he wasn’t worried so much for his own safety, there were things in this forest that could prove quite bothersome if they got in his way, despite his ability to put smoking holes the size of basketballs in most of them should they try anything. At this point and time there didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary, and while there was the odd rabbit or bird that flashed on his radar every once and a while, he was alone for the majority of his journey as he zeroed in on the clearing where he had first entered this world. His chronometer was still counting down until the portal could be opened once again, and he stepped into the open glade just as the timer began its final countdown. Shadow stayed well clear of the open grass before him, not exactly keen on discovering what it felt like to have a rip in space-time form inside of him, and waited for the portal to appear as he did a final system’s check for his return.

…System Analysis Complete…

…Power Core: 26%...Recommend Charging…

…Motor Functions: 98%...

…Optics: Optimal…

…Auditory Sensors: Optimal…

…Weapons: 85% Operational…

…Notice: Port Plasma Conductor Replacement Required…

…Memory: 85% Capacity…

…Emotion Drive: Operational…

…Drone Power Core: 85%...

…Drone Sensor Array: Optimal…

…Notice: Drone Weapons Depleted…Rearmament Required…

…End Analysis…

Shadow logged the system analysis in his memory so the scientists back at the Gateway Project could access the information easily once he returned, his chronometer entering the final minute before the portal could be opened. He scanned the clearing for any signs of the rift as the timer wound down, aware that the opening could be shifted from his entry location by up to a hundred yards, given calculation error on behalf of the portal computers.

…Portal Recharge Time: 00:00:00:05…04…03…02…01…

Almost immediately upon the timer hitting zero, there was a soft whoosh as a displacement of air alerted Shadow to the portal’s emergence. His scanners locked in on the opening as his optics shifted to the hovering circle, the portal having appeared near the north side of the clearing instead of in the middle. The walls of the Gateway Project labs could be seen through the six-foot window, Shadow’s paws taking him up to the wormhole before launching him through the rift. There was no sensation other than the shift in air temperature, the cooler labs making his armor ripple slightly as the heat of Equestria’s summer sun distorted the air around him. His claws clicked against the concrete as he touched down on the other side, the portal staying open for a few seconds longer before closing with another soft displacement of air.

Like it or not, he was back on Earth. Now it all came down to what happened next.

The scientists operating the portal controls buzzed around behind the invisicrete window, the hiss of disinfectant sprays sounding off as the air inside the portal chamber was sterilized. Only after the hiss had stopped, the intercom activated, and Shadow recognized the scientist as the one that had wished him luck during his departure. He didn’t know the scientist’s name, but he could tell both by visual and auditory confirmation that it was the same man.

“Welcome home Shadow. I take it your trip was a success. Head into decon for a full clean-up and then report to Dr. Scott for your post-mission debrief. Scans show all green for initial decontamination, so you are clear to enter the facility.” The click of several locks could be heard as a doorway on the right side of the room opened, allowing Shadow to enter before closing again with a similar string of mechanical engagements.

The decontamination room was directly adjacent to the portal chamber, for obvious reasons, and it was relatively small for what one might expect. It was barely large enough for Shadow to fit and still turn around, the sides covered in ports and mechanical devices that would scrub him down until he was nearly as clean as when he came off the assembly line. A smaller window led into the control room, where a singular woman was sitting at the vast control system. There wasn’t an intercom, so the scientist had no way of talking to Shadow, although it wasn’t really needed since it was a standardized process either way.

First came the power washers, which hit Shadow from all sides with enough force to nearly push him over. Had they not been coming in from every direction, he probably would have lost his balance anyway from the pressure of the cleaning fluid. They washed over him for several seconds before shutting off, the slight collection of dirt and plant matter from the Everfree dissolving away into nothing as the anti-bio wash broke it down into basic elemental components. Next came the ultraviolet light, which filled the room and cooked whatever microbial life might have somehow gotten past the wash, followed by a quick rinse to get rid of any lingering chemicals. Once that was complete, the door in front of Shadow opened, allowing him into the main complex as personnel rushed here and there to perform various tasks. Shadow worked his way through the writhing mess, taking his time to maneuver through the crowded hallways as he came up to the computing heart of the labs, Dr. Scott’s personal station and the collective data center of all CW mission debriefs.

The sliding door allowed Shadow to enter, closing behind him as his optics scanned over the familiar computer banks and hard drive shelves. Wires and electronics of various sizes took up the left side of the room, their flashing lights sequential and yet seemingly random to the untrained eye as they cycled through hundreds of terabytes of data. Off to the right was a simple desk that was home to a screen and several special tools that were used to hook CW units up to the mainframe. A pair of long wires were currently rolled up on a hook on the desk’s side, the data transfer cables ready for his input as soon as they were connected to his memory ports.

All of that was familiar to Shadow, as he had seen it several times in the past after his other missions. Yet for the first time, he got a really good lock at Dr. Scott and realized that up until now, he had paid the doctor very little attention save for her title and purpose in the Gateway Project.

Dr. Scott was a fairly tall woman according to human standards, standing at roughly five feet ten inches with a slender yet athletic body type. Her blonde hair was tied back in a bun and her bright blue eyes were partly covered by her thick glasses, the frames blocking parts of her peripheral vision by design, so she could focus on her projects more closely. Her white lab coat was embroidered with her name just above the breast pocket, her I.D. badge hanging just below that on a small clip as she typed away at her keyboard. She barely took a second to look up as Shadow stepped into position next to the desk, her deft fingers hooking up the data cables almost on autopilot as she slid the prongs into their designated ports on his side, just behind his right shoulder cannon and under a protective plate.

Immediately, Shadow could tell that he had been linked up to the computer’s systems, his own hardware reacting in a completely new manner as he tracked the signals coming from the other device. While he had been hooked up to the exact same system dozens of times before, he had never been able to tell where the computer was going within his own software, his processors cycling through possibilities even as the computer’s search found its way into his memory banks. Then, as the computer began making copies of his data and downloading the new information from his mission, something strange began to occur.

Every time a file was logged by the computer for transfer, there was a small window that popped up in Shadow’s processor that asked for user verification before the download could be completed. For a second Shadow wasn’t sure what to do, other than to allow the download to continue, but with each file he authorized, the more he began to realize what was going on. He was in control of what the computer got to copy over into its own system, and it was that understanding that made his processor go into overdrive, scanning through his own memory for what he could keep for himself and what would be useful for the humans. Immediately, he labeled several files as blocked, so that the computer wouldn’t be able to copy them. Among them were the files associate with Fluttershy’s past and the pain therein, along with the more personal moments that had a deeper meaning for his development from a simple machine into a true A.I. He also kept the translation matrix for the pony language for himself, given he needed to have some leverage in order to return once the humans came to a decision concerning their own actions. If it was possible to keep that information, along with his transformation, a secret for a bit longer, then it would most likely be in his best interest to keep his creators in the dark. The last thing he wanted was to have them taking him apart to see how he had changed while on Equis.

Thankfully, Dr. Scott didn’t seem to notice that there were files missing from the data transfer, although as she began looking through the information, Shadow saw her eyes widen and her jaw drop as she scanned over the file titles. Shadow discreetly watched as she clicked on one of the files and opened the subfolder containing all of the information he had gathered on the pony races, her breath catching and her heart beginning to race as she fumbled to pick up the communication earpiece that had been sitting on the desk next to her.

“Doctor Connors, Doctor Phillips, this is Doctor Scott in data collection. You two need to get down here right now.” She paused for a second as there was a muffled reply on the other end, “I don’t care what else you have going on! This is big enough that it will outclass anything you might be doing right now! Get your asses down here and tell the higher ups we have a Code Six on our hands.” Her lips curled into a smile as her eyes ran over the data, clicking through the files at rapid speed as she listened to the other end, “You heard me correctly, we’ve done it.”

Her eyes moved over to Shadow as he played the dumb machine, her excitement carrying over to Shadow as his Emotion Drive fed off of her reaction to his memory files, “We found alien life.”

Shadow was mostly forgotten as scientists came running into the lab in rapidly growing numbers, his processors struggling to track every scrap of conversation as the humans poured over the information he had provided. From what he was able to pick out of the muddled conversation, most of them were ecstatic at the idea of alien life, so much so that he even heard ideas for an immediate diplomatic mission to the newly discovered species.

Yet these crazy ideas quickly fell to the wayside as a human Shadow had never seen before stepped into the room. His eyes were calm and his step perfectly controlled as he walked past the scientists, his perfectly ironed suit in sharp contrast to the lab coats that filled the space as he looked over Dr. Scott’s shoulder at an image of Princess Celestia and Luna. Even in the still image, their manes and tails seemed to flow with the magic that moved through their world like water, yet that seemed to have little effect on the man as his dark brown eyes moved from one image to another.

“Has the data been verified?” His tone brokered no argument as he turned to Dr. Scott, “I wouldn’t want anyone to lose their job because they thought a prank would be a good idea to pull at a time like this.”

Dr. Scott shook her head, her voice locked down tighter than a drum as she replied, “No sir, I’ve gone over it a dozen times. No signs of data corruption or falsification. I don’t even know how you could to that to a CW unit in the first place. What we’re seeing is the real deal. We’ve done it, sir. We’ve found alien life.”

The man nodded once, his eyes moving back to the screen for a moment before he glanced at Shadow. The man had no way of knowing that Shadow was different than when he left, but even still, his piercing gaze made Shadow want to shiver as a loop of dread ran through his processor. This man was bad news, and they both knew that a single step out of line could spell the end of everything Shadow wanted to create. Shadow stayed perfectly still as the man’s gaze turned to the other scientists in the room, his voice taking on a barking quality as he spat out orders like a drill sergeant.

“Alright, everyone listen up. We are officially going into Code Six protocols. First contact has been made and we want to put our best foot forward when we meet these new aliens, if command gives us the green light. For now, get back to your stations and speak to no one about what you have seen in this room. I will personally court marshal anyone who so much as breathes about a single image on this mission file, and I will find out if you do.” The threat was enough to make several scientists gulp, and Shadow knew fully that had he not been playing the dumb machine, he might have backed up a step or three to put some distance between him and this man. Whoever he was, it had just become a top priority in Shadow’s mind to keep his new abilities a secret, at least until he could get back to Equis.

He might not survive if he made a mistake, not with this kind of person in charge.

The newcomer left soon after, leaving Dr. Scott to pour over the information she had acquired from Shadow’s memory, the cybernetic hound dismissed once his presence was no longer deemed necessary. The rest of the scientists had returned to their own stations, although the air was filled with a nervous excitement that made Shadow’s own emotions kick into high gear. He barely processed his journey back to the room that contained his fellow cyber wolves, his processors locking onto every snippet of conversation that passed his audio sensors. No one was talking about the new species he had discovered, so The Suit’s threat must have worked, although the numerous humans that had been present in the room were doing a very poor job of hiding their feelings about the matter.

Shadow entered the room containing his charging station and took a moment to look over his fellow machines, feeling an odd sense of pity rising up in him as he turned his attention from one robot to the next. These creations of humanity were the purest form of what he had once been, locked within their operating codes and acting on orders without question. He registered a slight shift in the charge of his power cells that he attributed to the feeling of sadness he was suddenly processing along with pity, knowing full well that unless he brought all of them with him to Equis, the rest of his siblings would never change to become what he had.

Stepping into the niche that was open for him near the left end of the room, Shadow turned around and allowed the mechanical arms inside the bay to lock his charging cable into the various ports that ran along the sides and back of his body. His power cells linked up to the electricity running through the main complex and began charging, his processors prompting him if he wished to power down for recharge.

With nothing to do until the scientists filed through the massive amounts of data he had collected, Shadow allowed the shutdown to proceed, his sensors shutting off one by one as his processors shifted to low power operation. He wouldn’t allow himself to shut down completely, just in case something happened that he needed to be aware of, but it would make charging go multiples faster if he wasn’t using up energy running his systems for no reason.

Shadow drifted for a time in the semi-operational state he had placed himself in, unaware of the outside world but fully linked to the command system that passed orders to the CW units while they were on standby. It was a simple system that Shadow discovered he could ignore easily as his fellow units were run through simulations to keep their decision-making programs up to par. He was unable to track the passage of time, given his chronometer was currently powered down, so it came as a bit of a surprise when he received a command from the lab’s mainframe to report to data collection. Shadow powered up once again and found that barely six hours had passed since he had begun charging, his power cells still hovering at seventy-six percent as the wires connecting him to the bay retracted from his body.

Feeling a great deal of confusion, along with a bit of trepidation, Shadow walked out of the standby room and back to Dr. Scott’s station, trying to figure out what could have happened that would require his presence again so soon. There was no way the team working under Dr. Scott had made it through all of the data he had acquired in such a short time, so whatever happened was out of the ordinary.

Shadow walked into the computer lab once again, his processors racing as he spotted the man from before standing behind Dr. Scott, a scowl on his face as he followed along with her on the screen.

“It just doesn’t make any sense,” Dr. Scott muttered to herself as she ran through the information, Shadow’s optics quickly scanning over the images and text and determining that it was video files of his interactions with the ponies that Dr. Scott had pulled up, “Zero Four is clearly interacting with these aliens in their own language, and yet there is nothing in the data I’ve gotten from his systems that has anything to do with a translation matrix. It’s like he learned their language and then completely forgot once he returned to our side of the gate.”

“Has there been any tampering with its memory cores?” The Suit asked as he glanced over his shoulder at Shadow, “Did they wipe the information from it in order to keep their language a secret from us?”

Dr. Scott shook her head, “From what I’ve seen so far, they don’t even have the technology to interact with his basic internet connection, let alone hack into his internal systems.” She picked up the transfer cables and walked over to Shadow, hooking them up to his ports and then sitting back down at her desk, typing in rapid commands that Shadow was unable to follow as she continued speaking, “Perhaps there was a glitch in the transfer and the translation matrix didn’t get copied over like the rest? Let’s see if we can’t find it.”

Shadow knew exactly where the doctor was going as she scanned through his files, the image of a file browser opening up appearing in his vision as she searched through his memory. While Shadow was able to keep her from accessing the more important files, he wasn’t able to stop her from finding the translation matrix while she was using command codes.

“There you are.” She exclaimed as she smiled to herself, “I knew you were in there somewhere. Now, let’s get you where you can be of some use.”

Shadow was surprised when he was prompted for administrator access when she tried to copy the file onto the mainframe, his earlier actions preventing her from editing any of the marked files that he didn’t want the humans to have access to.

Knowing fully well that Dr. Scott was seeing similar things to what he was, Shadow still declined access to the file as both Dr. Scott and The Suit leaned closer to her screen, their eyes narrowing in confusion as Scott read the corresponding text.

“Access denied?! Administrator permission required?” She glanced up at The Suit before gaping at the text alert on her screen, “What in the Hell is going on here? There has never been any form of administrator access built into the CW units since their creation. They might have rudimentary A.I., but that doesn’t mean they can disobey a command code.” She began typing at a rapid pace as The Suit cast another glance at Shadow, his eyes narrowed in suspicion before he turned back to follow what Dr. Scott was doing.

Shadow had to give the doctor credit, she tried everything in the book and even some things he hadn’t thought of in order to get access to the translation matrix, but each time he was asked for his permission to let her interact with the file and each time he said no. Finally, after driving herself up a wall with frustration, Dr. Scott turned away from the screen and stood up, walking around Shadow’s body so she could get at his internal component access panels.

“If I can’t do it through software,” she growled to herself as she reached for the plating covering his memory cores, “then I’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way and go through the hardware.”

Knowing full well that if his memory cores were removed, Shadow would lose everything he had gained while on Equis except his Emotion Drive, which was currently going into overdrive trying to come up with a plan. His processors ran through dozens of different tactics, but there was no way to stop the doctor from removing his memory core if she gained physical access to it, so with no other options available to him, Shadow disconnected the transfer cables and stepped out of the doctor’s reach. Her eyes widened in shock as he backed up two steps and turned to face the humans in the room, the Suit’s hand reaching into his coat for what Shadow presumed was some kind of sidearm as he fell into a fighting stance.

Understanding fully that there was no going back from his chosen path, Shadow looked both humans in the eyes for a moment, taking note that both were staring at him like a wild animal and had elevated heart rates to confirm his suspicions. They were scared of him, even though The Suit tried to hide it behind a scowl.

Letting out a sigh, Shadow sat down and turned his attention to The Suit, “You won’t be needing your firearm, sir. I have no intentions of causing any sentient creature harm unless it is to protect my own wellbeing. I only ask that you listen to what I have to say, and then we can move forward together.” Shadow glanced at the doctor, who had finally pulled her arm back to her side as she knelt on the floor before him, “Just to be clear, there has not been any tampering with my systems while I was on my mission. I don’t know the exact cause of my evolution, but I can make the assumption that it has something to do with the energy field that is native to Equis. Somehow, it changed me to where I can now feel emotions, and I have been given the ability of free will.”

His gaze travelled back to The Suit, who had fully drawn his pistol and was aiming the weapon square with Shadow’s faceplate, “You do not need to worry about my loyalties to the human race. I will not betray my creators because I know that the majority of humanity is kind and open-minded to the unknown. It might be a bit of a shock to interact with aliens, but I truly believe that our worlds can come together in a peaceful and beneficial manner.”

The man’s grip tightened on his weapon, his mouth curling into a frown as he replied, “And how do we know that you aren’t just a hacked machine, sent back to spy on us in order to serve your new masters? We have no way of verifying what you say unless we send another CW unit to gather more data, and if you truly have been hacked, then there is no reason to think your new alien pals wouldn’t do the same to the rest of our scouts.” His shoulders squared as his finger pressed against the trigger, “Power down now, and submit yourself for full system reboot, or I will put a bullet through what counts as your brain.”

Understanding that the man’s mass driver could easily punch through his armor plating if he hit the right spot, Shadow knew that his options were limited. However, he also knew that if the scientists pulled him apart to see what had happened to him, he most likely wouldn’t wake up ever again. They would study him and use his knowledge to move forward with their own plans for the ponies, leaving his friends back on Equis vulnerable without anyone to work as a mediator when the inevitable first contact occurred.

Shadow looked straight down the barrel of the weapon and spoke three words that would change his life forever. He had made his decision, and nothing, not this man, not anyone, was going to keep him from going back where he belonged.

“Respectfully, sir,” he said, “no.”

There was a bang as the man’s weapon discharged, and in that moment, everything went wrong.

Author's Note

Well, Finals have been kicking my flank from here to Saddle Arabia, but I've finally found enough time to write for all of you. Hope you have been enjoying the book so far, and I look forward to hearing about what you think in the towel section below.

Also, once again a big thank you to my Patron Earthpatriot117 for his support. You all know the drill by this point so I won't bore you with the same shtick about joining up if you so desire. You all know where to find the link if you want to show your support so I won't repeat myself just to kick a dead pony.

Other than that, have a wonderful holiday break, and I'll hopefully see you all very soon. I plan on posting more chapters once school gets out, so keep an eye open and an ear to the ground. Things are about to get interesting.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messneger of the Moon.

14 - Departure

…Time Elapsed Since Return to Earth: 04:07:35:57…58…59…

The last four days had been rather eventful at the Gateway Project, although Shadow had stayed out of the way for the majority of it. While scientists and security personnel ran around in every direction, he had been holed up in the charging room with his siblings, reading a new book series that Kelly had suggested he take a look at. So far, he’d gone through the first three books of the ten-book series and had become enthralled with the characters as they journeyed through parts unknown. Using his processors to create almost movie-like imagery to go with the story was no problem at all, but he had discovered that doing so took up a large part of his memory unless he deleted the video as soon as he had created it. It was slightly annoying to be forced to remove the information from his memory, but it made things better in some ways because it made it possible to re-read the books and still enjoy them the second time around.

Shadow had been pondering the issue of his rapidly filling memory storage and had asked Dr. Kelly if she could come up with a solution to the problem before they returned to Equis. She had stated that it would be at the bottom of her to-do list, but that she would make an effort to at least look into it before they departed. So far, she hadn’t come up with anything, although the talks that they had during what little free time she could acquire were enlightening to say the least. Shadow learned much about the human species and the worlds that they called home, even discovering the status of some of the worlds he had gone to in past missions and how they had developed since he had first scouted them out. It was fulfilling to know that he had played a part in expanding the human race’s influence, but it also made him realize that other than the Gateway Project and the uninhabited worlds he had seen, he had never been able to see the world and the people that called it home. Of course, up until his trip to Equis he lacked the capacity to care about such things, but the knowledge that he was essentially a textbook shut-in for the entirety of his existence still grated on his processors while he was alone.

And yet, he realized that now he could do things for himself, that he could make friends and discover new things if he so desired. Of course, his mission to establish relations between the ponies and humans took top priority, but after that, who was to say he couldn’t go to those past mission worlds and see how things had progressed? The idea was a tantalizing one, and a desire that motivated Shadow to do his very best concerning the coming interactions between the ponies and humans.

Shadow left the charging room for the first time since Agent K had been removed from the facility, his paws clicking against the hard floors as he ventured into one of the briefing rooms. Shadow had never been inside one of them before, given his missions used to be downloaded directly into his CPU while he charged, and was thus rather surprised that there wasn’t much to the room other than a projector and a collection of folding chairs.

Dr. Kelly was present already, as were two of the security personnel, the captain among them as he and his subordinate talked about something in the corner of the room. There was also a young man seated in one of the chairs, his short brown hair partly hidden under a large tan cowboy hat while his torso was covered by a similarly colored duster. He didn’t look to be more than thirty if Shadow was any judge of age, although his bright green eyes were sharp and attentive as they locked onto the approaching mech.

“It would seem your resident wolf has joined us at last.” The young man’s voice was a fair bit deeper than Shadow expected, given his tall and lanky build, “Remind me again why that mechanical hound is joining us on this mission?”

“Because Shadow was the one who initially made first contact with the natives and translated their language into ours.” Kelly replied as she powered up the projector, “Besides, the natives seem to have made connections with our scout and so we would be fools to keep him behind when we journey onto their land ourselves.”

Shadow took a seat next to the cowboy and glanced up at him, “It is a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you on the coming mission. What is your task on the team if you don’t mind me asking?”

The cowboy glanced at Dr. Kelly for a moment, “Inquisitive for a robot, isn’t he?” He turned his attention back to Shadow, “Well, I’m the linguist Dr. Scott called in so we can talk to the natives without having to rely totally on you for translation. From what I’ve been able to gather from your matrix, their language isn’t all that difficult to learn, so long as you take the time to understand the phonetics. I’m a bit of a natural when it comes to learning new languages, so I’ve been acting as a translator for most of my adult life after getting out of school.” He held out his hand, a smile on his face as he added, “Name’s Henry Wilcox, but you can call me Will if you like.”

Shadow shook the offered hand with a paw, “Shadow. A pleasure to meet you Will.”

“Alright everyone, gather ‘round.” Kelly called out as a title screen popped up on the projector, “we’re going to get things ready so that way once the last member of our team arrives, we can get things rolling. I want to get this mission started as soon as possible, so pay attention because this is going to be one of the defining moments in human history. We only get one shot at this, so focus on doing your jobs and we’ll get through this without a scratch.”

Will chuckled softly as the security guards walked over and sat down on Shadow’s left, leaning over to whisper behind a hand, “Famous last words if I ever heard them.”

Kelly sent the linguist a short glare before turning her attention to the door behind them. It slid open with a soft hiss and her lips parted in a smile as she spoke, “Welcome to our little mission debrief Ambassador Lang. We were just waiting for you to arrive.”

Shadow glanced over his shoulder and saw that the aforementioned ambassador was a short man of Asian descent, his black hair combed back and his dark brown eyes partly covered by a set of thin glasses. He wore a black suit with matching shoes and pants, his tie a deep navy blue to contrast his white undershirt. All and all he certainly looked the important part, although his aloof manner set Shadow’s nerves on edge as he walked into the room.

“I was informed that you had come into contact with an alien race.” His voice was crisp and precise as he sat down on Will’s right, “I take it you are going to cover some of the important details before we go galivanting off into the unknown?”

Dr. Kelly nodded, “That is correct, Ambassador, but first I wanted to go over who will be working with us out in the field, given this is going to be an extended trip for all of us. I’m sorry to say that we still haven’t been able to open a portal for more than a few minutes without a secondary station on the other end to help power the jump, so until we can acquire permission to build a second gate on Equis, we’re going to have to rely on the biweekly schedule that we can reasonably keep to with just a single gate. Don’t worry,” she forestalled any protest as both the ambassador and Will raised their voices to object, “I’ve already planned for that and have acquired the necessary items we will need for such an extended journey. Luckily, the natives of Equis seem to have a similar taste to humans when it comes to food, at least from what Shadow was able to log before returning to base, so packing two weeks of food and water won’t be necessary.”

That seemed to calm the majority of the humans down, if their heart rates were any indicator of their mood, although Shadow could still pick up some nervous energy coming from the ambassador. Could be he wasn’t thinking of being stuck on another planet for two weeks when he signed up for the job.

With everyone now paying her their full attention, Dr. Scott lowered the lights and pointed to the screen with a laser pointer as an image of the Princesses appeared, “First of all, we’re going to cover who it is we will be dealing with when it comes to the natives of Equis. While Shadow was there, he met with the rulers of the local nation, and we were able to get a translation of their names thanks to his efforts to communicate with them. In their own language, they are known as Kalian Ferrostali and Kalian Grestio. Kalian is the local term for Princess according to Shadow’s translation matrix, and their names are Celestia and Luna respectively once we carry them over to English.”

Her pointer hovered over Celestia as she continued, “Celestia is the elder of the two sisters, and they rule the nation of Equestria together. Celestia holds court during the day while Luna does the same at night, ensuring that the nation always has a figure they can turn to in the government if an emergency should arise. From what we can tell from their history, both of the sisters are over a thousand years old, although Luna was absent from the throne for a large majority of that time, due to a coup that she attempted to enact over her sister when they were much younger. They seem to be on good terms even after such events, but don’t bring it up unless they choose to, the last thing we need is to piss off beings that have been around since man created the crossbow.”

“And you’re sure it’s not just some conjecture of the locals that has led them to believe that they are as old as you say?” Ambassador Lang asked as he inspected the image in closer detail, “How can we be sure that it isn’t just a family name or tradition that has been passed down for centuries while the rest of the public believes their rulers are immortal?”

Dr. Kelly shrugged, “We don’t, but that is part of the reason we are going ourselves. History books and local belief can only take us so far, so that is why we must go ourselves in order to validate what has been given to us by Shadow following his mission.” She glanced at Will as the cowboy raised his hand, “Yes Mister Wilcox?”

“So let me get this straight,” he said as he leaned back in his chair, “we’re going to be visiting a nation on an alien world that is ruled by two pastel-colored horse princesses that have supposedly lived for more than a thousand years? And you expect us to believe that this is real? I’d have a harder time believing we had discovered that the Star Trek universe actually existed and that we’d all been just watching some dimensional gateway for however many years.” He glanced at the others with a disbelieving expression, “You can’t seriously be taking this junk as fact, can you?”

While Dr. Kelly ground her teeth in frustration, Ambassador Lang replied in a calm but serious tone, “Mr. Wilcox, was it? Remind me again why you are part of the team selected to go on this mission?”

Will turned towards the shorter man and replied without hesitation, “I’m the resident polyglot. I’ve already gone over the language matrix that the hound over here brought back from his supposed mission, but now I’m starting to wonder if we’ve all been called here just to be made fools of. I mean, you can’t look at that image and think it’s real. It’s like some kid colored in a little girl’s picture book and then added in some detail to make it look real.”

“The aesthetics of the local life is none of your concern, Mister Wilcox,” Lang countered, “the way they talk is your number one priority. And seeing as we have the machine that created the translation matrix in the first place sitting right here, I gather that your services are redundant for the sake of necessity should we split up. While it would be inconvenient to rely on the scout for all of the translations, it would not be outside the realm of possibility. Therefore, if you truly feel that this is a waste of your time, you can take that door behind you and leave right now. No one will stop you if you don’t wish to continue.”

Will opened his mouth to retort, his legs already straightening, but paused as he got a good look at the rest of the team. None of them were begging him to stay, and none of them were telling him to go. They simply watched and waited for his answer as he opened and closed his mouth several times.

With a gusty sigh, he sat down again and crossed his leg over the other, “Fine, I’ll play your little game, but I’m going to be the first one to say I told you so when this all turns out to be a big joke.”

Dr. Scott let out a sigh of her own as she clicked to the next slide, this time showing a trio of images. Shadow recognized them as pictures of Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle from his various interactions with the mares. Will let out another snort of contempt but otherwise remained silent as Dr. Kelly continued her lecture.

“The locals of Equestria are a rather diverse group, separated into three sub-species or tribes, as they prefer to call it, where each have their own unique abilities. They are collectively known as Loksi, or ponies in our language, while each of the sub-types has a unique moniker to match their physical differences.” She highlighted the image of Rainbow as she hovered over Ponyville Square, “The winged ones are called Salso, pegasi for those that are not familiar with the language and have been reported to have the ability to manipulate the local weather on an individual scale.” She paused as Will snickered again but continued anyway as she moved over to the image of Twilight, “From what Shadow was able to piece together, there is an energy field that covers the entirety of the planet, which all of the pony tribes can use to a certain degree. The Oricalesi, or unicorns, seem to have the most direct control over this energy field, going so far as to study it as another form of science that can match and even surpass the technology we have today. The Forma-Loksi, coincidentally translated into earth pony, are by far the strongest and most physically adept members of their species, at least on the ground. They can also reportedly use minor horticultural manipulation simply by being in the general vicinity of whatever plant they wish to grow. They can make fruit ripen out of season and can even make the plants around them grow faster and stronger than normal if the land is plentiful enough.”

Dr. Kelly paused as she glanced at the others, “We are dealing with a race of beings that can bend the laws of reality at a whim and yet somehow have not breached the orbital plane. As far as Shadow was able to learn, they simply have had no desire to expand beyond their home planet and have even allowed several other sapient races to grow into nations of their own around the globe.” She clicked to an image of the species textbook that Shadow had read through on his second night in Equestria, highlighting several sketches of gryphons, dragons and other intelligent creatures, “In total, there are at least five intelligent races on the planet of Equis, each with their own traditions and nations that they hold sovereignty over. We will be dealing with the ponies first, given they were the ones that Shadow first encountered, but we will hopefully be able to talk to all of them as time moves on.”

Kelly clicked off the projector and turned back to the rest of the group, “Any questions?”

There was a chorus of negatives as everyone began to stand, “Oh, one more thing before we get started.” Everyone sat once again as Dr. Kelly pointed to herself, “I would like to introduce you to all of the members of our team, given we’ll be working with one another for the foreseeable future. My name is Dr. Kelly Scott, and I’m head of the CW field team and data collection for the Gateway Project. My main objective is to ensure that Shadow continues to function at peak performance while we are gone, so I’ll be bringing my tools along with some other specific parts that might need replacement.”

She indicated Will with a hand, and he sighed before tipping his hat to the others, “Name’s Henry Wilcox, and apparently I’m going to act as translator when the mutt over here isn’t doing it for me.”

He huffed as he pulled his hat over his eyes, muttering under his breath as Ambassador Lang took his cue, “My full name is Shen Lang, but I would prefer if you referred to me by my last name. It is a courtesy in my homeland to use the surname of your fellows unless you are very close. I am currently the acting representative of the United Earth Nations and will be the authority behind any treaties or agreements that come about because of this adventure.”

Shadow directed his attention to the two guards as the commander cleared his throat behind his faceplate, “My name is Captain Samuel Goodwill, and I will be your protective escort along with my lieutenant, Trisha Bellwood. We will not be interacting with the locals unless absolutely necessary, given that your protection is our top priority.”

Dr. Kelly turned her attention to Shadow, who nodded as he stood up and walked up to the front of the room, “My name is Shadow, formerly known as CW04, and I will be your direct contact with the locals of Equis, given that they know me and have developed a level of trust that you lack for the time being. My hope is that in time we will not need to have a translator or point of contact in order for relations to move forward, but as of right now, I am the only product of humanity that they have experience with. I implore you to put your best foot forward and be prepared for next to no respect for personal space. Ponies are a very physically-oriented species and will try to initiate contact of some sort when they wish to get your attention or interact with you in some way. It is not meant as a threat but is how they interact with each other and with other species. A fair warning to all of you, there will be lots of hugs from a lot of ponies. Prepare yourself.”

There was a round of chuckles as the humans stood from their seats, the security guards forming up at the door while Dr. Kelly and Ambassador Lang talked with each other for a moment. Will seemed to be aloof as usual but Shadow could tell that he was getting excited because of his increased heart rate. Now that the mission parameters had been gone over, there was only one thing left to do. Gear up and head for the portal gate.

It took roughly fifteen minutes after they left the briefing room for all of the humans to gather the necessary gear, although even then it was in rather short order that they all stepped into the larger disinfectant chamber adjacent to the portal room. Ambassador Lang had switched his suit for a more appropriate set of hiking clothing after finding out where exactly they were landing and followed closely behind the security guards as they led the way into the portal room itself.

The other scientists that operated the huge device were already stationed behind their screens and signaled to Dr. Kelly that the portal was going to be powering up soon. She signaled back with a simple thumbs up and turned her attention to the portal gate, her step slightly bouncy with anticipation as she walked up the steps to the forming wormhole.
She turned around and faced the others as Shadow stepped up beside her, “Well, here we go. First steps into a new world and first steps to establishing relations with the natives of Equis. Any final thoughts before we depart?”

There were none, so with a final nod to the operating crew, Dr. Kelly stepped through the gate and into the grassy clearing Shadow had come to know, her steps halting short as she took a deep breath of the fresh Equis air.

The others stepped through and the wormhole closed behind them with a slight pop, leaving them alone in the wilderness on a distant planet as Shadow stepped up to take the lead.

“The Everfree is not a place we want to hang around in, so I suggest we get moving.” He turned his attention to the woods before them as he activated his scout, sending the falcon up into the air to scan for threats to the team as they made their way through the forest, “Stay close, and don’t step off the trail unless I tell you too. This is a land that holds many surprises if you aren’t careful.”

With that sobering thought, the group headed out, following Shadow through the trees as the guards held their weapons at the ready. The soft hum of charged magnetics stilled the other life around them into silence, leaving them in relative peace as they travelled through the dark woods. Very little light penetrated the canopy, but that was no issue for Shadow or the highly sophisticated tech of the guards, leaving the others stumbling around in the dark as Ambassador Lang’s foot found yet another tree root.

Thankfully, the ambassador was saved from hitting his face on the forest floor by the quick actions of the lieutenant on his left, grabbing him around the arm and hoisting him back to his feet before he had a chance to get more than a quarter of the way to the dirt.

“Oh,” Lang sputtered as he realized he wasn’t about to hit leaf litter with his face, “thank you, miss. That would have been a bit awkward to explain why my face was bleeding during a diplomatic mission.”

“Don’t mention it.” The lieutenant replied, her faceplate impassive to the outside observer as she stood back and allowed the ambassador to move forward once again.

It took them several hours of walking to reach the edge of the Everfree, and by that time only Shadow and the captain were still in perfect spirits. Shadow had no muscles to tire out, while the captain seemed to just be made of tougher metal than the rest of the humans. Even his lieutenant, who had the same supporting exoskeleton as the captain, was hanging slightly behind the group and muttering curses under her breath as the leaves and branches around them kept getting caught in her armor.

Yet it was all worth it, because as soon as they exited the forest and entered the plains beyond, Shadow could hear several of the humans take in awed breaths as they beheld Ponyville and the lands surrounding it for the very first time. Had he possessed the ability to do so, Shadow would have beamed at the excited murmurs that came from the humans as they slowly stepped into the open, their eyes wandering over every little detail of the landscape while Shadow remained on overwatch.

After giving them a few minutes to take it all in, Shadow walked up to Dr. Kelly’s side and asked, “Are we ready to continue? The Ponies will need some time to adjust to your presence before we can conduct any form of negotiations.”

Kelly and Lang nodded their agreement, leaving Will to simply shrug as they marched towards the small town, the security detail forming up on either side of the civilian members of the team while Shadow took point. Given he was the one who the ponies knew, it made sense if he was the one that led the others into the town itself.

Now the only thing left to find out, was how exactly the ponies were going to react to seeing their first humans up close.

Author's Note

Yay! Another chapter for all of you to enjoy. Happy New Year and a Happy Birthday to me! I just turned 23 today and I feel so old already. Other than that, I just wanted to let you all know that I am having fun with this story and I look forward to posting more for you in the near future.

Also, a shout-out to my Patron, Earthpatriot117, I wouldn't be able to do as much as I can without his support and enthusiasm. If you want to support me then take a look at my author page for my link to my Patreon.

Other than that, thank you all for supporting me and my work and I wish you all a happy holidays and hope the new year has been kind to you all so far as we get things rolling.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

15 - Ponyville Welcome

Author's Note: Just so you all know, there is a bit of a formatting issue that you need to be aware of from this point forward in the book.

"If the dialogue is in Italics." Then the character is speaking in Equish.

"If the dialogue is in standard font." Then the character is speaking English.

'Words in single quotes' are thoughts, most likely from Shadow's perspective.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, now on with the book!!

The mood was a strange mixture of wonder and nervousness as the group walked up to the edge of Ponyville, the guards holding tight to their weapons, although they had yet to charge the magnets inside them to arm the projectile platforms. Dr. Kelly and Ambassador Lang were looking around with wide eyes and happy smiles as they took in the scenery, leaving Will to stuff his hands into his pockets and pretend not to care.

At first Shadow was slightly nervous how the inhabitants of the pony town would react to the small group, but as they got into the more active sections of the village, he was slightly surprised when there was not an immediate panic among the populous. Half of the ponies that saw them paused in their steps for a second or two, but as soon as their eyes landed on Shadow, they seemed to relax and carry on without a care. The other half stood and stared but didn’t seem to have any fear attached to the fixation. Gradually, the attention of the ponies began to add up as more and more slowly began to approach, as if wary of a predator in their midst.

Then, in true Ponyville style, a pink blur raced past Shadow on his left side and slid to a stop in front of the humans, causing the guards to raise their weapons before they realized what it was that stood before them. Pinkie Pie was smiling from ear to ear and bouncing in place in raw excitement, yammering on at a mile a minute as she inspected the humans from head to toe. Thankfully, she seemed to know not to mess with the armored humans that were a bit put off by her exuberance, although that didn’t stop her from bouncing around Dr Kelly and the others as she continued her excited monologue.

Finally, she came to a stop before Shadow, practically vibrating with joy as she pulled a package of cupcakes from her mane, offering it to him for a second before seeming to remember he didn’t eat. Thus, rethinking her idea on the spot, she walked past him again and offered it to Dr. Kelly, the scientist’s eyes widening as she carefully took the package from the hyperactive mare.

“I really hope you can come to my ‘Welcome-to-Ponyville-Equestria-Equis-Interplanetary-Palooza this afternoon.” Pinkie rattled off without pausing to breathe, “I’m so happy to meet you and I hope you enjoy your visit to our world. Make sure to eat the cupcakes before they go stale, we wouldn’t want to ruin your first taste of pony food.”

With that, Pinkie raced off again, the rest of the ponies rolling their eyes and carrying on with their business, leaving the humans standing in the town square with confusion painted over every face.

Dr. Kelly looked at the box in her hands, then in the direction that Pinkie had disappeared off too, “Do I even want to ask?”

Shadow chuckled, a loop of bemusement running through his mind as he responded, “That would be Pinkie Pie, Ponyville’s premier party pony and one of the strangest beings you will ever meet on this world.”

“So, what exactly was she saying?” Lang asked as he reached in and pulled out a cupcake, inspecting it like it would bite him if not observed at all times, “All I could tell was that she was speaking at a rather rapid pace. Do all ponies talk at that speed?”

Shadow shook his head, “Pinkie is a special case. The locals have a saying that I think applies a little bit too well to that mare, and it has saved me from several hypercore overloads in the past. ‘It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it.’

Will scoffed as he too reached in a grabbed a cupcake, “Well whoever she was, I think she could use a few less sweets if she acts that hyper all the time. I don’t know about you, but I would rather be able to understand the other person when I’m having a conversation. I know the pony language mostly inside and out, and I couldn’t keep up with half of what that mare was rambling on about.”

“Well at least we know that the locals are friendly,” Dr. Kelly added as she pulled out her own pastry, “might as well take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy it while we can.”

All three humans bit into their desserts at the same time, pausing after a few chews as their eyes widened in synch and they froze in place. Shadow could practically feel the delight coming from them as they destroyed the rest of the pastries in a matter of seconds, licking their fingers as Dr. Kelly visibly restrained herself from grabbing another. Even as the two men reached for more, she closed the lid and turned her head away, grumbling to herself about something as she slid her backpack off of her shoulders and stowed the box in one of the spare compartments.

“Until we can be sure that the local food won’t harm us,” she managed to speak in a straight tone as she put the pack back over her shoulders, “I would suggest that we limit our consumption to what is necessary before eating too much of anything. We don’t know fully how the food here will affect our bodies until we get some samples to test. Shadow might have proven that the items on the menu won’t outright kill us, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful until our bodies can adjust.”

Will made a sound that did a very good job mimicking a dog’s whine, “But that was the best damn cupcake I’ve ever eaten. How do we know you aren’t just going to eat all of them yourself while the rest of us aren’t looking?”

Lang interjected himself between the younger humans before an argument could begin, “While I understand your desire to eat more of the delicious gift we have been given, we should follow Dr. Scott’s advice and limit how much we expose ourselves too until our bodies have adapted to the local cuisine. I can remember quite a few times when I went to other planets in human space and had to be careful about what I ate for the first few weeks. I made the mistake once of eating a bowl of Gandinoran chili on the first day of the diplomatic summit a few years ago. I spent the next three days in the hospital paying for it because my body wasn’t able to handle the foreign spices. Remember that from this point on, and you hopefully won’t make the same mistake I did.”

Will backed down after mulling over the shorter man’s words for a moment, tipping his hat to Dr. Kelly before turning to look at the passing ponies, “Quite a colorful lot, aren’t they? I guess you really were telling the truth when you showed us those pictures back at headquarters.”

Dr. Kelly nodded as she glanced around, smiling and waving to a passing mare and her filly, who returned the gesture, albeit with some hesitation on the mother’s part, “They certainly are. I know it might have been hard to believe before you saw them with your own eyes, but these beings are just as intelligent as you and I. We just need to step carefully until we can establish a more concrete diplomatic relationship between our two species.”

The others agreed in varying ways, although their collective attention was drawn to a single point as Shadow detected approaching hoofsteps from behind him.

He turned around just in time to be enveloped in a hug, a pair of purple legs wrapping around his shoulders before pulling back to reveal a beaming Twilight Sparkle, “Shadow! It’s so nice to see you again! We were starting to worry that you weren’t coming back.” Her attention was drawn to the humans as Dr. Kelly stepped forward, the mare’s eyes locking onto the offered hand before lifting to meet the smiling human’s gaze.

“Hello. My name is Kelly Scott.” Dr. Kelly said in slightly stilted Equish, “It is nice to meet you.”

Twilight’s eyes widened to near comical levels, her jaw dropping for a moment before she collected herself, “It’s nice to meet you Kelly, my name is Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia and head librarian at Golden Oaks Library.”

Dr. Kelly seemed delighted as Twilight placed her hoof in the human’s hand, shaking their respective limbs before turning her attention to Shadow, “What was the second part of what she said? I only understood her name and the greeting.”

Twilight glanced between Dr. Kelly and Shadow as he replied, her eyes flickering back and forth as her ears rotated to catch every word, “She was adding in some of her titles along with her name. She’s the personal student of Princess Celestia and the pony that runs the local library, Golden Oaks to be specific. She’s probably going to inform the Princesses that you have arrived once she satisfies her initial curiosity about you and the rest of the group.”

Kelly nodded, glancing at Twilight before turning back to Shadow, “Then could you tell her that we would be delighted to answer any questions that she has concerning humanity? I’m certain the personal student of one of the Princesses would be interested in learning about a new culture.”

‘You have no idea’ Shadow thought to himself before turning to Twilight, bracing himself slightly for what he perceived to come next, “Dr. Kelly said that she would be happy to tell you about humanity, provided you have an interest in learning about their culture and sciences.”

Twilight gasped before turning her eyes towards Dr. Kelly, her irises literally sparkling with glee as she pranced in place, “Please, please, please, tell me about your race! I’ve never been able to interview an alien before, nopony has! Oh, this is going to be the biggest moment in pony history, and I’m the one who gets to write the first notes on human kind! I just, I can’t…”

Shadow saw the signs just before the excited mare’s eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted, his last-second dive saving the mare from hitting her face in the dirt as her weight landed squarely over his shoulders. The others had moved to catch the falling mare even as Shadow stopped her fall, their eyes wide in shock as the mechanical hound shifted the passed-out mare onto his back.

“Is she alright?” Dr. Kelly asked, her eyes locked on Twilight as Shadow made sure the unconscious mare wouldn’t slip off of his plating.

“You just gave a bibliophile the biggest open invitation to previously undocumented information in her world’s history,” Shadow replied dryly, “are you all that surprised that she passed out from the emotional shock?”

While Dr. Kelly mulled his words over, Will came up and inspected Twilight on a closer level, his eyes taking in every detail of the smaller being as Shadow led the group through town towards the library, “Sure are cute little things when you actually take a look at them. It’s a wonder they haven’t been taken over by the other races on this world.”

“Supposedly it’s because of their ability to control the energy field of this planet to such a precise degree.” Dr. Kelly supplied as they approached the giant tree that Twilight called home, “None of the other races on Equis can manipulate the energy around them on even close to the same scale.”

Shadow wasn’t sure if that was truly the case, but he let the moment pass as the collective stopped on the doorstep of the library, his audio receptors picking up a high-pitch whistling coming from above and behind them. He turned to look over his shoulder as he spotted a rainbow contrail headed for them, his optics zooming in on the blue blur as it turned in their direction.

Shadow shifted his attention to the guards as they too picked up on the whistling coming from Rainbow’s wings, their helms locking onto her approaching figure as they automatically raised their weapons to engage. Shadow knew that if he didn’t stop them, the guards would most likely shoot Rainbow out of the sky, so he allowed Twilight to slip off of his back as he jumped in front of the guards and pushed their rifles off target with a sweep of his tail.

“Hold your fire!” He yelled as Rainbow slowed to a halt above the group, her expression a mixture of confusion and surprise as the guards turned to look at Shadow, “She’s a friendly civilian. Don’t shoot unless you want to be responsible for destroying the small amount of trust the natives have for us. We are strangers in their land, so unless told otherwise, you are not to engage the native life in harmful ways because it could easily turn the trust they are expressing into fear. Am I making myself clear?”

The guards glanced at one another while Dr. Kelly and the other members of the diplomatic team watched on in both shock and uncertainty. Yet, the tension in the air dissipated as Rainbow came in for a landing next to Shadow, her eyes flickering from him to the humans and back again as she tried to get a read of the situation.

“Am I missing something here?” She asked, “What are you guys doing with Twilight and why is she passed out on the ground?”

Shadow paused for a moment to make sure the guards weren’t going to do anything else before turning his attention to the prismatic mare, “Sorry about that, we’re just bringing Twilight back to the library after she got overloaded with excitement. Dr. Kelly over there told Twilight that she would be willing to let her take notes about humanity and Twilight understandably got overexcited about the possibilities therein.” He glanced back at Twilight’s prone form before walking up to the unconscious mare and picking her up once again, “Would you mind getting the other girls and have them meet us here? I’m pretty sure Twilight will want you all present when she wakes up so she can introduce you to my friends.”

Rainbow saluted him with a wing, “You got it. I’ll have the girls back here in no time flat. Just make sure you don’t make the egghead pass out again once she wakes up. I’d rather not have to get a raincloud to keep her awake if you keep overloading her brain.”

And in the blink of an eye, she was gone again, leaving her signature contrail in her wake as her form rapidly shrank into the distance over the northern side of Ponyville. Given that was the direction Sweet Apple Acres lay in, Shadow surmised that she was going to get Applejack first and then grab the others on the way back.

“So, what was all of that just now?” Ambassador Lang inquired as he watched Rainbow fly off into the distance, “That pony seemed to be in an awful hurry to be somewhere.”

“Shadow just asked her to bring the rest of ‘the girls’ and meet us back here.” Will supplied, “Apparently Twilight here will want to have them present when she wakes up and begins the Q&A session that the good doctor promised. Don’t know who exactly is going to show up, but I’m assuming they’re all ponies that Shadow met on his first trip here.”

Shadow nodded as he turned the doorknob with his teeth, opening the front entrance and stepping into the main floor of the library as the humans followed him in, ducking under the frame as they entered to avoid hitting their heads on the wood. Dr. Kelly gasped and smiled wide as her eyes fell onto the books that surrounded the group, leaving Ambassador Lang and Will to themselves as she began inspecting the spines of the nearest shelf. The two men sat down on the admittedly tiny chairs while the guards took up positions around the edge of the room in order to maintain an overwatch. Shadow had doubts that there would be need for violence concerning the ponies, but this was new territory and a measure of caution between the groups was probably to be expected until relations were less raw and had more legal footing to stand on.

“So, is there anything we should know about the ponies that will be joining us shortly?” Ambassador Lang asked as he tried to get comfortable on the too short chair, “I admit I am unused to going into these situations completely blind and would feel much more comfortable if I could get a little insight into our hosts’ personalities and customs.”

“I think we could all use a little heads up in that department,” Will added as he folded a leg under his body to stay stable on the chair besides the unlit fireplace, “I may be able to speak the language, but that could only make things worse if I say the wrong thing to someone.”

Shadow nodded his understanding, glancing over at Dr. Kelly to make sure she was paying attention as well as he slid Twilight onto the couch in the center of the room, “Well, to begin, the mares that will be joining us shortly are about as diverse as any group of people can get. I imagine Rainbow Dash, the mare you met just a moment ago, along with Applejack will be the most straightforward to deal with. They are competitive and can take their time building trust in others, but once you get on their side, they will stand with you no matter what. Pinkie Pie, the pink pony from before, will probably get up in your faces and completely ignore any form of personal space. Don’t try to think about what she does too hard or you might give yourself a headache. Most of the ponies that know her simply go with it and I suggest you do the same.”

He paused to make sure that the humans were absorbing his words before continuing, “The other two ponies that you will meet are Rarity and Fluttershy. Rarity is a clothing designer by trade and will most likely want to study your outfits and talk about the higher society aspects of human culture. Fluttershy is an animal caretaker and is shy almost to the point of social anxiety but will probably be the first to step forward if you start talking about the native life of other worlds. Other than that, you’ve already got an idea of what Twilight is like, although you’ll probably see a lot more notes and rapid applications of magic while you talk to her. Be prepared for lots of things floating through the air and items popping in and out of existence. No, she’s not breaking the laws of physics, she’s simply using the energy field of the planet to get things done in a timely and efficient manner. Any questions?”

The group shook their heads and for a few minutes they sat in silence. It was only as a knock sounded from the door that Twilight began to stir. The unicorn rubbed her head as she sat up, her eyes slightly out of focus as she took in her surroundings. For a moment she didn’t seem to know where she was, but as her eyes uncrossed and she took in the room clearly, she jerked her head towards Shadow as her head swiveled to lock onto each human in turn before returning to the mechanical hound.

“Shadow?” She asked as she sat up, her tail curling around her hooves as her nervous eyes shifted from one human to the next, “How did I get here? What are we doing back at the library?”

Before Shadow could reply, Will raised his hand, catching Twilight’s attention as he reclined in his seat, “Simply put, miss, Shadow over there carried you back here after you passed out from excitement. We ran into a mare named Rainbow outside and Shadow had her go to get the rest of your friends.” He paused as another trio of knocks sounded from the door, “Speaking of, that’s probably one of them now.”

Twilight’s gaping jaw closed with a click as her gaze leveled on the door, her horn lighting up as the knob glowed with the same magenta light. All of the humans jumped as the door opened on its own, their eyes shifting rapidly from the now open door to Twilight and back again, the entrance of Applejack and the others going almost unnoticed as they tried to rationalize their first experience with Equestrian magic.

Shadow, having seen magic dozens of times, greeted each of the mares as they entered, taking a moment to return the hug that Fluttershy and Applejack gave him while Pinkie and Rainbow passed by and began inspecting each of the humans in turn. Rarity was sizing up Dr. Kelly, who seemed to be doing the same to the alabaster unicorn, although Shadow’s attention was drawn back to the orange mare in front of him as she pulled back from the hug.

“Applebloom is awake now.” She said with a smile, “She woke up just the other day and immediately asked if she could see ya. Ah had to tell her that ya’ll had gone back to yer world and wouldn’t be back fer a while. She’s still in the hospital ‘cause the doctor wants to keep an eye on her fer a bit longer. Ah’m sure she’d love to have you come and visit so she can thank ya fer savin’ her life.”

Shadow nodded, wishing at that moment that he was capable of smiling himself as a wave of happiness ran through his processors, “I would be delighted to go and visit her. Just let me find some time once my companions aren’t so nervous about being here.”

The duo glanced at the gathered humans as Will translated the questions being asked of each of them, the answers getting various reactions from all four of the mares as they peppered the poor man with inquiry after inquiry. Shadow took a small measure of pity on him as he walked up to the group, stepping between the ponies and the cowboy to forestall any further questions.

“While I’m sure Will would love to keep acting as translator,” he spoke slightly slower than usual so that Will could translate for the rest of the humans present, “I think we should get down to business and contact the princesses before we go any further. This is a diplomatic mission after all, so getting in contact with them as soon as possible should be our top priority.”

Twilight jerked as if she had been struck, her eyes widening as she seemed to realize that she hadn’t told Celestia yet about what was going on. She immediately summoned a scroll and quill, writing a quick message and then calling out at the top of her lungs, “SPIKE! MESSAGE FOR PRINCESS CELESTIA!”

The humans looked on in confusion as Will hastily translated, his own eyes turning with the rest of the group’s as the rapid thuds of approaching footsteps sounded from the stairs leading to the second floor. Spike came barreling down the stairs, his little chest puffing and huffing as he slid to a stop beside Twilight, barely taking a moment to notice the humans in the room before grabbing the letter and puffing out a wash of green flames over the scroll.

It was only after the letter had been sent that the rest of the world seemed to catch up with the actions of the past few moments. The humans stood in dumbstruck silence as the ponies did the same, a hush falling over the room as everyone waited for something to happen next. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, although in reality it was only a few seconds according to Shadow’s internal clock, Spike’s cheeks puffed up and he let out a mighty burp as a new scroll condensed from the flames.

Will whistled as Twilight grabbed the scroll with her magic, “Boy, talk about fast mail. I’m not sure exactly what just happened, but it looks like that little dragon has a built-in transport system in his fire.”

Dr. Kelly nodded in awe as Ambassador Lang rolled his eyes, although their expressions sobered as Twilight’s eyes widened.

“My faithful student, thank you for letting me know of the situation as quickly as you did. I understand that these humans are strange and may not be very understanding of how our world works, but I have the utmost confidence in you to teach them about pony kind and the lands we call home. I also encourage you to learn as much as you can from them and report back to my sister and I on what you have learned. We will be taking a chariot to come and visit you once Luna wakes up around suppertime. Please notify the humans that my sister and I will be present in Ponyville only to answer some preliminary questions. We will not have time to stay for very long and will consequently be unable to talk about proper diplomatic subjects until later. This will not be a formal meeting between representatives, but rather a simple get together so we can get to know each other a little before we begin proper negotiations. Best of luck, and please extend our warmest greetings to our guests on behalf of myself and the diarchy of Equestria. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.”

Twilight took a moment to breathe in an out, rolling up the scroll in her magical grip before setting it aside and turning towards the rest of the group. Her calm expression lasted for all of about three seconds before she was gone in a flash of light and a soft pop sound. The frantic sounds of someone going through papers and other such items upstairs echoed down the steps and reached the collective only a second later, the humans turning to glance up the steps in confusion while the ponies simply rolled their eyes.

“I do apologize for Twilight’s rather hasty exit,” Rarity said as she stepped up to Shadow’s left side, “The poor dear really does have a bit of idol worship when it comes to our princesses. I imagine she thinks they expect her to have the complete summation of human knowledge ready to present to them once they arrive later today.” She winced as a particularly loud crash echoed from above, “The poor thing will probably come racing down any minute and pepper you with questions in an attempt to gain all of said knowledge. I suggest you brace yourselves.”

Shadow and Will had just enough time to give the others a rough translation before Twilight appeared in another flash of teleportation, her eyes slightly crossed while her mane and tail were frazzled messes. Her magic held what had to be a dozen quills and scrolls, and before anyone could step in and try to slow her down, her manic gaze landed squarely on Dr. Kelly.

Said doctor’s eyes widened as Twilight began to stalk her like a lion hunting a gazelle, her steps taking her back until she bumped into the wall beside one of the book cases. The guards stepped between Dr. Kelly and Twilight, their weapons charged but not yet aiming at the unicorn, but in another flash of light she was past them and standing right in front of Dr. Kelly.

The guards spun around and leveled their weapons at Twilight, although she seemed unable to process that there were a pair of deadly weapons pointed at her right at that moment. All she seemed to be able to focus on was the fact that Dr. Kelly had the answers to her questions, and she was going to get them. Shadow and Applejack moved at the same time, the hound to intercept the guards once again while the apple mare got in between Twilight and Dr. Kelly. Shadow had a good idea that Applejack knew how to calm down their friend, so he focused on keeping the guards from perforating the poor mare while Applejack did her thing.

“Hey Twilight,” Applejack’s voice was calm and slow as she kept her body between Twilight and her human target, “Ah know this looks bad, but Ah need ya ta calm down and listen, alright? You know Princess Celestia won’t expect ya ta have every little bit of knowledge about humans by tonight. Nopony can expect you to do something as crazy as that.” She gently placed her hoof on Twilight’s chest, keeping the mare still as Applejack took a deep breath in, “Now Ah want ya ta take a deep breath, let it out slow, alright? Ah need ya ta calm down and think about what yer doin’.” She glanced over her shoulder at Dr. Kelly, giving the nervous human a sincere smile before turning back to Twilight, “Yer scaring the poor girl to death pressing for answers like this, so, one more time. Take a deep breath in,” Twilight did as instructed, although her inhale was a bit shaky, “let it out nice and slow.”

Applejack’s hat nearly got blown off as the unicorn before her let out all of her air in one big gust, Twilight’s eyes closing for a moment before opening once again. She seemed to come back to herself as her eyes leveled on Applejack before glancing up at the now slightly less terrified Dr. Kelly.

Applejack stepped aside and gestured towards Dr. Kelly, “Now is there something you would like ta say?”

“Sorry for that.” Twilight’s ears folded against her head as it dropped low before the human, “I get stressed out whenever Princess Celestia gives me an assignment. Sometimes I lose my common sense in the rush to get it done for her and I took that anxiety out on you.” She closed her eyes and bowed her head all the way to the floor, “Please don’t tell Princess Celestia about this. I’m really sorry for what I did, and I Pinkie Swear not to do it again.”

Shadow noticed it just as the other mares turned to look, their eyes locked onto the pink baker in their midst, whose expression had just turned deadly serious. They watched Pinkie watching Twilight as the unicorn performed a series of motions and used the sacred rhyme. When all was said and done, Pinkie simply nodded, and her normal hyper demeanor returned like nothing had ever happened.

Dr. Kelly, for her part, was probably very confused about what had just happened, so she simply turned to look at Shadow as Twilight and Applejack walked back into the center of the room, “Do I even want to know?”

Shadow shook his head, “The important part is that she’s sorry for scaring you, and that she gets anxious when Princess Celestia gives her work that needs to be completed at an undetermined time. The little chant and dance that she did to make her promise, I haven’t seen that before, so I don’t know how serious it is. Although,” he glanced back at Pinkie Pie as the spastic mare chatted up the two guards like they could understand her, “given it made Pinkie stop smiling as Twilight was doing the motions, I have a feeling it was a very important thing to do. You shouldn’t have to worry about Twilight getting in your face again, at least for a while.”

Dr. Kelly nodded, “Well that’s a relief. Cute little ponies or not, that mare scared me when she started walking towards me like some kind of horror movie monster. To say nothing of her simply teleporting around without even thinking about it.” She glanced down at Shadow, once again, her eyes filled to the brim with curiosity, “Can all unicorns do that?”

Shadow shook his head, “From what I understand of the process, teleportation is a high-level skill that very few can accomplish, especially for everyday use like Twilight exhibits. I’d say there might be a couple hundred ponies that are powerful enough to perform the spell in all of Equestria, although that doesn’t take into account how many have actually completed the training in order to do so. All told, there might be a few dozen ponies that can use it to the same level that Twilight can, although you probably won’t have to deal with them jumping into your personal space like she did.”
Kelly nodded her thanks, stepping away from the wall as the ponies present returned to using Will as translator, “It looks like Will is being useful after all. I can only imagine how hard it would be if none of us could talk to the ponies except you.”

“Then I would act as your translator just as Will is doing,” he retorted, “I wouldn’t let you stumble through historic first contact just because of a language barrier.”

Dr. Kelly was interrupted as she opened her mouth to reply, a pink blur popping into being in front of them as Pinkie’s wide smile lit up the entire room, “Oh my gosh I just realized that I haven’t thrown you all your Welcome-To-Ponyville-Equestria-Equis-Please-Be-Our-Friends-Party! We need to get you some cupcakes and punch and then we can introduce you to the entire town! Isn’t that great?!”

Even Shadow’s processors had trouble keeping up with the mare’s speed, so he knew that Dr. Kelly wouldn’t have been able to keep up even if she could speak the language. He glanced up at the fumbling human and added, “She wants to throw you and the rest of the team a party to welcome you to their land. She’ll probably have it set up by this afternoon, so I would suggest just going with it and enjoying it once it starts. She also wishes to invite most of the town so you can get to know the locals better. A sign of good faith between cultures.”

The scientist nodded once, turning back to Pinkie and nodding her head while holding out her hand. Pinkie gasped, smiling from ear to ear as she reached out with both front hooves and shook the offered limb, nearly rattling the poor doctor’s hair out of its bun with the force of her grip.

“This is going to be the best party ever! *Gasp* I have to get the party all set up and get the invitations to everypony and then I need to bake the cake!” And just like that, she was gone, having disappeared out through the door before anyone could make a move.

Ponies and humans alike stared after the settling dust before Rainbow summed up the situation in one line, “Well, looks like we have a party to get ready for.”

Shadow and the girls chuckled while the humans simply shrugged between themselves. If the peppy pony wanted to throw the group a welcome party, then who were they to stand in the way?

Now that the initial shock of meeting everyone had passed, the humans and ponies fell into more casual conversation, using Will and Shadow as translators to keep the flow of information smooth. It was only when the clock on the wall struck the fourth hour that the ponies began to rise and stretch out their tired limbs.

“I’m pretty sure that Pinkie has the party all set up by now,” Twilight stated as she and the girls gathered next to the door, “We should head out and get over to the town hall before it gets too late.” She smirked as Shadow relayed her words to the others, “Besides, I imagine that there might be a few extras thrown in because of how important this party is for our new friends. Come on girls, let’s party.”

A chorus of affirmatives and giggles followed the purple mare’s statement, a few chuckles escaping from Will as he followed Shadow out the door. Dr. Kelly and Ambassador Lang followed while the guards brought up the rear, their armor hissing as the hydraulics compressed to allow them to hunch through the small opening.

“I’ll smash my head through one of these the moment I forget to duck.” Lieutenant Bellwood grumbled to herself as she and the captain stepped out onto the dirt road, “How are we going to manage getting into the buildings if every time we go through a door we have to bend in half?”

Captain Goodwill chuckled as Shadow’s ears swiveled to pick up on their conversation better, “Just imagine you’re in a village of hobbits and you need to avoid hitting your head on the ceiling. That should help you remember.”

Shadow snickered quietly as the female guard turned her helm upward to presumably glare at her superior. She didn’t grace the comment with a reply, but the implied curse was probably evident to both parties as they continued down the main street.

Ponyville looked rather deserted, save for the large group walking through the center of town, and it gave the humans a sense of impending dread as they realized that they were literally alone in the middle of a once-bustling village. Shadow could detect their increasing heart rates, and even heard Will mutter under his breath something about ‘zombie ponies’. While he didn’t understand the reference, Shadow did understand the nervous energy that seemed to hover over the group like a cloud, although the ponies seemed to be completely immune to it, given they knew what was going on and had probably experienced it many times.

Finally, after several minutes of walking, they arrived at the town hall, where all of the lights were out and there wasn’t a soul in sight. Shadow, knowing full well what was about to happen, turned towards the humans as the ponies indicated for them to enter ahead of the natives, “Be prepared for a loud shout and a blast of confetti from an oversized party popper. We are being surprised.”

Will chuckled as he stepped up to the door, “Well then they will be disappointed when I don’t react. I’ve been surprised at parties so many times I’m immune to the shock.”

Will walked right into the building, thankfully not having to duck through the double doors, only to jump and yell as a familiar pink cannon was aimed right at him. Everything happened at once, and Shadow watched it all happen with a very confused loop of code running through his processors. Will was blown off his feet by the force of the confetti hitting his chest, the guards brought their rifles to bare only to get bowled over by the flying cowboy that had been launched at them like a catapult boulder, leaving the rest of the humans to gape in shock and horror as the ponies slowly turned to look at the cannon-wielding mare at the front door.

Pinkie, in all her glory, simply glanced down at the cannon she had just detonated into a man’s chest, and scratched her head with one hoof, “Maybe I used a bit too much sugar powder in that one.”

Five hooves met five faces as the other party guests stepped up to the doorway to see what had happened. Meanwhile, Will was getting untangled from the guards and was not happy in the slightest.

“When I get my hands on that little pink menace,” he growled to himself as he finally got to his feet, “I’m going to stuff her in her own cannon and blast her so far into the air that she’ll hit orbit.”

Shadow wasn’t sure if it was comedic timing, or just good luck on Pinkie’s part, but it was at that moment that a large golden chariot descended from the sky and came to a halt next to town hall. The ponies immediately bowed their heads to the two alicorns as they stepped onto the ground, leaving Shadow and the humans the only beings standing as Celestia and Luna approached the collective.

Will, having lost his steam the moment the ponies had begun to bow, turned to look at the approaching diarchs, only for his jaw to drop as he glanced upwards at Celestia’s smiling face. Given the humans were used to the ponies being shorter than them, seeing the alicorns at roughly the same height must have been a bit of a surprise. Shadow watched as the cowboy removed his hat and bowed at the waist, the others following suit while the guards dusted themselves off and returned to attention.

Celestia nodded to her sister before addressing them, “Please rise, my little ponies. We are not here to intrude on your party but would be delighted if we could attend in order to get to know our new human friends better.” She turned towards Pinkie for confirmation, who simply nodded her head with an even bigger smile. Having received the stamp of approval from the party planner, Celestia turned her attention to the humans before her, who had just begun to rise as they followed Will’s lead. “Welcome to Equestria, humans. My name is Princess Celestia, and this is my sister Princess Luna.” She indicated the smaller mare with a wing, “If I may be so bold, what are your names, and what are your roles within this group?”

Will was the first to answer, although given he was the only one who understood Celestia besides Shadow, it was understandable, “A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Henry Wilcox, but you can call me Will if you like. I’m the translator for this little crew while the hound is busy with other things, so that way we don’t have to rely totally on him in order to get our point across.”

Celestia nodded, “A pleasure to meet you, Will. I must say, your grasp of Equish is commendable, given it must have only been a few days before you had to depart to this world.”

Will smiled as a slight coloring came to his cheeks, “I try, ma’am. It’s all part of the job, plus a little natural skill when it comes to languages.” He turned his attention to Princess Luna, who came up to chest level on the man if one didn’t count her horn, “A pleasure to meet you as well, Princess. I hope we can get along moving forward as we get down into the mire that is diplomacy.”

Luna chuckled, glancing up at Celestia as she spoke, “He certainly has a silver tongue for one so young. We might need to watch out for the mares of court. They’ll mob him like a prime stud if we’re not careful.”

Will sputtered in shock while Celestia covered her mouth with a hoof, “Luna, we do not joke about visiting dignitaries while in public.” She admonished her sister with a soft wing slap to the back of her head, “Now apologize so we can join the festivities.”

Luna grumbled under her breath but smiled none the less as she turned back to Will, “I’m sorry for making fun of you. I will refrain from doing so again in the future.”

Shadow could see the mischievous glint in the princess’s eye but decided not to interject as Will introduced the rest of the team. If Luna wanted to have some fun pranking the humans, then there was quite literally nothing he could do to stop it. Given the knowing look in Celestia’s gaze as she glanced at her sister, the solar diarch knew what her sister was up to as well but wasn’t going to put a stop to it either.

After the shock and awe of the party’s beginning, the rest of the event was rather laid back. Shadow and Will translated for most of the town as the humans answered and asked various questions. Most were fairly standard, but a few were a bit out of the ordinary. The latest surprise had come from none other than Fluttershy, who had worked up the courage to talk to Dr. Kelly with Shadow and Applejack there to support her. Her question had brought the entire party to a screeching halt, and all eyes were on the trio as Dr. Kelly glanced around at the now staring crowd.

“Umm, could you repeat the question, please?” She asked as she glanced at Shadow for help, “I think I’m missing something.”

Shadow looked at the pegasus as she hid behind her mane, although the one visible teal eye was locked onto Dr. Kelly as she waited for the answer. Applejack was also watching Dr. Kelly, not Shadow, although for what reason Shadow couldn’t quite figure out, an inscrutable glint in her narrowed green eyes.

Shadow turned back to Kelly and replied, “She asked you if humans eat meat. She’s seen enough animals that are omnivores to know that you aren’t vegetarians.”

Dr. Kelly nodded, her eyes moving over the ponies that had paused in whatever they had been doing in order to listen in, “Yes, we do eat meat, but I want to stress that humans are the only sentient life on all of the worlds we call home. We would never consume intelligent life unless we were quite literally starving, and even then, we would only do so as a last resort.”

Shadow figured it would be best if he translated her words verbatim, just so that way no one could accuse him of sugarcoating the truth. Several ponies gasped as he replied in Equish, and a mare in the back even fainted, but what happened next surprised everyone present.

Fluttershy had pulled back her mane and was smiling up at Dr. Kelly.

A quick glance at Applejack seemed to confirm her thoughts, given the farmer was also nodding her agreement. Fluttershy offered a quiet ‘thank you’ and then walked back into the gathered townsfolk, leaving Dr. Kelly and Shadow against the wall as the party got back into swing. Shadow’s attention stayed locked on the duo for a moment, wondering what exactly had just happened, when his gaze was drawn to the right as Celestia and Luna walked up, their own eyes shifting to the retreating mares before turning back to the human and mechanical hound. Celestia smiled as she and Luna sat down on Shadow’s left, leaving Dr. Kelly on his right as the royals looked out over the ponies at play.

“That was a very brave thing you just did, Dr. Scott.” Celestia said smoothly as she glanced over Luna’s head at the woman beside her, “Our little ponies can be skittish around new things, especially creatures that can eat meat. That was one reason why we had such difficult relations with the gryphons for the longest time.” Luna nodded her agreement as Celestia continued, Shadow translating for the slightly confused human as she watched Celestia with wide eyes. “You could have lied and said that your kind only eat plants, but I believe that your words would have quickly unraveled the instant more of your people came to visit our world. Honesty is one of the core tenants of our society, and showing that before the entirety of Ponyville, especially in front of Honesty’s bearer, has gained you something that is very important for relations.”

“And what would that be?” Dr. Kelly asked, her eyes shifting from one princess to the other as they both smiled in return.

“Trust.” Luna stated simply, “In trusting us with the truth about your people, you have given us a reason to trust you, thus we can move forward with less hesitation and possible resistance from the ponies of Equestria. You have taken a big step for your people, and it is for that reason that we would like to invite you and your team to the castle in Canterlot. We plan to hold a diplomatic summit there in a few days, in order to introduce you to the other nations of our world. It is there that we can begin talks of trade and other such things, but for now we simply wish for you to enjoy your time here. After all, it isn’t every day that a new species is discovered.”

Kelly giggled as she turned her attention back to the party, taking an offered glass of punch from Pinkie as the mare made her rounds with a platter and punch bowl balanced on her back. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for telling me all of that. It makes me feel like what I did was important somehow.”

Celestia waited patiently for Shadow to finish translating, her smile widening just a hair as she replied, “You are a credit to your species, and we look forward to speaking with your team again in Canterlot. Come, Luna, we must be going. There are preparations to make and we do not have time to waste.”

“Yes, let us be off.” Luna agreed as she and Celestia stood, “Although I think I shall grab another slice of cake before we go.”

“You’re going to get fat if you keep eating all those sweets, Luna.” Celestia countered as they began walking off, although they were still close enough that Shadow was just able to make out Luna’s reply before they disappeared through the doors.

“As if you have any room to talk. You eat enough cake for the both of us and half the castle besides when you get hungry.”

Shadow chuckled as he split off from Dr. Kelly, letting Will fall in as translator for a bit as he walked through the crowd towards Twilight and the girls. Applejack saw him coming and waved him over, her eyes lighting up a bit as she smiled his way. Fluttershy smiled behind her mane as well, although the blush that accompanied it made Shadow once again aware of the crush that the pegasus had on him. He still wasn’t sure what to do about her feelings towards him, but at the moment his thoughts were pushed aside as Applejack placed a hoof on his chest plating.

“We could head over to the hospital for a bit.” She said softly, as if afraid that others would overhear, “Visiting hours are going to be over soon and Ah’d rather you get ta see Applebloom today before ya’ll head up to Canterlot.”

Shadow nodded, once again wishing he could smile like the others around him, “I would be delighted. Let’s go and come back before anyone misses us. I’m sure the rest of my team will want to have me around as much as possible to keep things from getting out of hand.”

“Ah recon we can do that, sugarcube.” Applejack replied, glancing at the others before turning back to him, “Come on, let’s get going.”

They made their exit through one of the side doors, stepping out into the evening air as the sun began its descent towards the horizon. Luckily, the hospital wasn’t that far, given they were already in the center of town. Applejack led the way while Shadow fell in on her left, the two beings alone in the street save for a few of the early dropouts from the party. No one paid them any mind and they entered the lobby of the hospital a few minutes later. Nurse Redheart was at the desk, going through some paperwork as she looked up and spotted them coming in. Her lips curled into a soft grin as she got up and walked over to the double doors that led further into the building.

“Applebloom is in room one-oh-nine.” She said quietly as she pushed the door open for them, “We have other patients that are resting so please keep your voices down while you are here.”

“Will do, Redheart. Thank you.” Applejack whispered back as they entered the next hall, the door closing behind them with a soft squeak as their hooves/claws clicked against the hard floor.

They found the room after a few wrong turns, and Shadow felt a slight twinge of nervousness run through his processors for a split second. He wasn’t sure why he would be nervous, but he felt it none the less as Applejack pushed the door open. What he saw lying in the bed made some of the nervousness subside, but it was still there as he walked into the room and looked down at Applebloom as she rested on the bed.

While there were no visible markings on her body, there was still the slight pale coloration under her fur that marked how close she had been to dying. Even after all of the time Shadow had been away, she still showed the signs of her brush with the Grim Reaper. Her signature bow was resting on the bedside table and her mane was a fair bit longer, hanging past her shoulders and over her forelegs, leaving the rest of her body to be covered by the thin hospital blanket.

Applejack stepped up to his side, looking down at her sister with tears in her eyes. Yet there was a smile on her lips as she spoke in a whisper, her voice warm and full of pride as her eyes shifted to him, “Ah never got to fully thank ya fer saving her life. Had you not been there, Ah’m certain she’d have been Timberwolf chow and there wouldn’t have been a thing we could do to stop it. So, Ah’m tellin’ ya now so Ah never forget, thank you. From the bottom of mah heart and from all of the Apple family, thank you.”

“I did what anyone would have done,” Shadow countered, keeping his own voice low so as not to disturb the sleeping filly, “I just happen to be better suited to protecting others than most ponies. You would have done the same in my place.”

“No, Ah wouldn’t have.” Her voice had taken a dark tone as her eyes locked onto the ground in front of her hooves, “When Ah saw that Timberwolf attacking Applebloom, Ah locked up. All Ah could see was our parents dying to protect us, and Ah couldn’t get mah legs to move. If you hadn’t been there, Ah’d probably have ended up dead too, eaten just like ‘Bloom because Ah was too scared to run away or fight back.” Her tears had begun to run down her face as her muzzle twisted into a self-loathing snarl, “Ah should have been there to protect her, Ah should have acted instead of sitting there like a bump on a log. Ah know Ah can’t change the past but Ah still think Ah could have done something, anything to keep her safe.”

Her anger faded as soon as it had appeared, cooled by her gratitude as she turned back to face him, “Ya’ll are a part of the Apple family now. Granny says so and Ah agree with her. You saved Applebloom’s life and we can never repay you fer that. If you need us for anything, anything, then all you have to do is ask. The Apples will come to yer aid whenever you need it. It’s the least we can do after what you did fer us.”

Shadow wasn’t sure how to feel about what the farmer had said. On the one hand, he was proud to have been able to gain so much trust from the ponies around him. It would help his mission all the more if the natives were comfortable around him and his creators. Yet on the other hand, he wasn’t sure he was capable of accepting the praise and gratitude that came with that trust. Sure, he had gotten a pair of medals for his actions, stored in one of the vaults at Canterlot Castle for safekeeping, but that still hadn’t prepared him for the emotional overload he had just been dealt.

“Thank you, Applejack. It means a lot to me that you would say something like that.” He glanced up at Applebloom and leaned in to nuzzle her on the side of her head, the little filly stirring slightly before opening her eyes. Her head slowly turned, and her eyes landed on Applejack, who smiled in return before jerking her head towards Shadow.

As the filly’s eyes locked with his, her gaze widened to almost comical levels and her mouth split into an ecstatic grin as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, “Shadow! Yer back from yer trip!”

Before he could react, Shadow was enveloped in a crushing hug that made the plates on his neck creak slightly, although it wasn’t more than a second before his own front paws were wrapped around the filly’s barrel in return. He could feel the soft shakes of her body as she quietly sobbed into his shoulder, her tears running down his left side as she wept in both joy and sorrow. Shadow could understand both emotions, after going through what she had, there was no reason to think that she wouldn’t be overwhelmed by all that had happened.

Shadow let Applebloom cry herself out before slowly pushing her back onto the bed, laying her down and pulling the sheet back up to her chin with his jaws. Applejack used a tissue from the box next to the bed to wipe her sister’s face, the filly’s smile returning as she turned her attention back to Shadow.

“Thank you fer saving mah life, Shadow. Ah was so scared and then that Timberwolf got me and then all I could hear was Applejack screaming mah name.” Her tears pooled again as she turned her head away and closed her eyes so she could wipe them on the pillow, “Ah don’t remember anything after that, but mah sister told me that ya ripped the Timberwolf to pieces and carried me back to the hospital in time for them ta save me. Ah don’t know how or when, but Ah will pay you back fer what ya did.”

“There isn’t any need for that, Applebloom.” Shadow replied, “Your sister has already told me that I have the entire Apple family to call on if I ever need them. You don’t need to do anything for me.”

“But Ah want to.” Applebloom retorted, “Ah don’t care if the Princesses themselves thanked ya fer what ya did. Ah still think Ah need ta do something ta say thanks.”

Applejack chuckled to herself before adding in her two cents, “They kind of did, sugarcube. Gave him a couple medals and had a big ceremony and everything. If ya feel like ya owe Shadow anything, then a thank you should be more than enough. Granny and the rest of the family are just happy that yer safe and sound.”

Shadow stepped to the side as the siblings embraced, new tears falling from both sisters’ eyes as he quietly stepped out. He worked his way back to the party, which had wound down to almost nothing in their absence, and fell in next to Dr. Kelly as she and Will talked with Ambassador Lang. When asked where he had been, he simply replied that he had been on personal business and left it at that. He wasn’t going to lord his achievements over his teammates, and he wasn’t going to tell them unless asked. Those moments in the capital were his and his alone. It was the moment he became a true being for himself, and he was going to cherish that moment for the rest of his life, however long that might be.

The party eventually ended, Pinkie Pie taking care of the mess while Shadow and the rest of the team returned to the library for the night. Applejack ended up staying with Applebloom in the hospital while the rest of the mares returned to their homes, leaving Twilight the last pony standing as she carried a passed-out Spike on her back. The humans piled up in the main room with a plethora of pillows to sleep with while Shadow powered down at the base of the doorway that led to the kitchen. Twilight and Spike retired to the second floor while the humans got comfortable in their temporary arrangements. The packs that the team had brought with them were stowed in the basement until they were needed, although the Captain Goodwill and Lieutenant Bellwood kept their armor on, as well as leaned their weapons against the wall beside them for ease of access.

Shadow’s processor displayed the usual power-down data as the soft snoring of the humans reached his audio receptors, and he registered a loop of code just before he shut down. He wasn’t able to identify it, but for the brief moment that it was there, he could have sworn that he had been feeling anticipation. Anticipation for what, he had no idea, but that was a problem for the next day. After all, they were due in the capital city the next morning, with a duo of alicorns waiting for them to arrive and a menagerie of ambassadors not far behind.

Tomorrow was gearing up to be a busy day, that was for sure.

…Power Core: 98%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 13:07:36:25…24…23…22…

Author's Note

Well, it's been a while since I've updated this little adventure. I'm sorry for not having any new chapters for so long, but I've been up to my ears in school work and haven't had any free time to write until now. Thank you all for being so patient and sticking with my story even though I've been taking so long. I know updates that are slow can be annoying to the max, but it is what it is.

Once again, please give a warm round of applause for my first Patron, Earthpatriot117, and you can also thank him for giving me the motivation to get this chapter done for the rest of you. He wasn't the first reader to ask about the next update, but it was his testimony that convinced me to make some time in my busy schedule to write up a new chapter for you all.

Other than that, I hope you all enjoy this extra long update and I hope to have the next chapter up soon. No promises, but that's college for you.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

16 - Every Bad Day...

Just a quick reminder;
"Italicized" speech is in Equish
"Normal" text is English
Just wanted to make sure everypony was clear on the formatting before we continued on. Now, without further ado, let's get this ball rolling again!

The team awoke early the next morning, taking the first train out of the station as they departed for the capital of Canterlot. The girls had stayed behind to tend to their own livelihoods, leaving Shadow as the only one who had been to their destination before. It wasn’t a bother for him, but it weighed on the minds of his companions, if their slightly raised heart rates were anything to go by as they sat in their reserved car. The ride was mostly silent, save for the click and clack of the train as it chugged up the mountainside, but a pressure of tension could be felt hanging over the group that only got worse as time passed.

Finally, Shadow couldn’t take the mood any longer, clearing his throat in order to catch the attention of his companions, “We need to clear the air if we’re going to put our best foot forward for humanity. So, perk up and show me a smile or two so that the ponies don’t think humans are a bunch of cold and anxious beings.”

His words got a small grin out of Dr. Kelly, although it did little to lift the mood as the light from outside was blocked by a tunnel. It was only as they exited the darkness that the mood suddenly shifted, a round of gasps escaping his companions as they all stood up and pressed themselves against the windows to get a better look. Shadow smiled to himself as he imagined the sight that his teammates were experiencing for the first time, the glistening waterfalls and ivory towers of the capital city shining in the morning light as they rounded the final turn towards the gates.

“It’s beautiful.” Dr. Kelly breathed as they shifted from rocky mountainside to the paved stone and brick of the train station, “I’ve never seen anything like it before. No human city could ever exist on the side of a mountain like this.”

Shadow chuckled as the doors slid open, leading his teammates out of the car as they pried themselves from the windows to keep up proper appearances. “That it is. Canterlot certainly lives up to its splendor, although the castle outshines the city itself ten times over.”

The humans hummed in agreement as the ponies around them shifted aside, looks of uncertainty and fear a common sight as they made their way through the crowded streets. None of the guards made a move to stop them, although they also didn’t do anything to calm the masses as whispered rumors began to spread around them like wildfire. Shadow’s keen hearing was able to pick up some of the mutterings from a distance, although it wasn’t enough to gleam exactly what the ponies were talking about, save for the source of their uncertainty.

It was only as they passed through the castle gates that the mutterings were left behind them, much to the relief of the humans as Dr. Kelly and Ambassador Lang let out soft sighs of relief. Will had simply rolled his eyes as they were directed through the castle halls by a pegasus guard, the maid staff and other servants pausing in their work to stare as they traveled through the titanic structure.

“Seems like every one of these little ponies is staring at us like some kind of zoo exhibit.” Will muttered to Ambassador Lang behind a hand, “I hope the Princesses aren’t planning on our people being able to work together overnight, because I can tell that would fall apart faster than a train held together by string.”

“We are an oddity in their world,” Lang countered quietly, “do not expect them to overcome their curiosity in an instant when we could hardly do the same in their places. None of them have ever seen a human before, and even those that have encountered Shadow in the past would still only have a rudimentary concept to tie to our people. Relations like these take time and will most likely present challenges that neither side can predict. We must be ready to overcome them in order to see a prosperous union between our cultures.”

Will grunted his agreement, causing their guide’s ears to flick back for a moment before returning to their forward orientation. While he was good at hiding it, Shadow could tell the stallion was nervous under his calm demeanor, his steps just a hair faster than normal and his wings twitching every once and a while against his barrel plate. Luckily, their journey was unhindered as they came up to a set of familiar doors, the seal of the royal family carved and painted into the wood as they were pushed open by a duo of unicorn guards.

Shadow led the humans into the throne room for the very first time, their eyes roaming around the cavernous space before settling on the ponies that were seated upon the dais. Yet it was not two ponies that met their gazes, but four, causing Shadow to pause for a split second as he took in the surprise guests. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor looked down upon the group with a mixture of curiosity and calm as the royal family stood from their seats, the alicorns flaring their wings wide at their sides as the guard dropped into a bow.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shadow and the humans did the same, although their actions were forestalled as Celestia raised her voice, “Please, raise your heads and be welcomed as the friends you are. We are not your rulers and as such you do not need to bow before us.”

Will and Shadow passed on Celestia’s words as they stood straight again, the quartet of ponies stepping down from the dais as the mares folded their wings against their sides. Celestia’s smile was warm and kind as she led the royals down the steps and up to the gathered humans, Luna falling in on her left while Cadence and Shining Armor stood to her right.

Cadence’s smile was wide and filled to the brim with excitement, her wings twitching slightly at her sides while Shining gave the captain and his subordinate a once over from head to toe. Either he didn’t see anything wrong or didn’t know what to look for, but he gave the security personnel a small nod that was silently returned by Captain Goodwill.

“Oh, this is so exciting!” Cadence said with enthusiasm as she stepped past Celestia to look up at Dr. Kelly, “I know you probably can’t understand me right now, but I just want to say it is an honor to meet you and I hope that you have a wonderful time here in Equestria. The Crystal Empire is bursting with the idea of a new species to introduce to the world, and even more so at the idea that you are a people that has traveled across the stars to get here. It’s like something out of a fairytale or a comic book!”

Shining chuckled as he placed a hoof over his wife’s withers to calm her down a bit, although it did nothing to detract from his own smile, “What Cadence is trying to say, is that we hope these talks can benefit both sides and that there can be peace between our races. We look forward to seeing what new things we can learn from each other and hope that our relationship can be a prosperous one.”

Shadow let Will pass on the crystal rulers’ words, taking a moment to catch Celestia’s eye as she and Luna watched their younger counterparts interact with the aliens amongst them.

“Not exactly what I was expecting, but a welcome surprise none the less. I certainly hope that the other races will react as well to the humans as Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor have.” He followed Celestia’s gaze as the solar alicorn smiled, Cadence having embraced Dr. Kelly in a hug that included both her front legs and wings, the surprised woman awkwardly patting the mare’s mane with a hand as she tried to support both their weights. Luna chuckled as the excited alicorn finally overbalanced the human she was hanging off of, their bodies getting slightly tangled as they fell to the floor. At first, the guards looked like they were going to intervene, but the tension quickly dissipated as both Cadence and Dr. Kelly began to laugh at their own folly.

“It is good to see the wonder of youth and the excitement of discovery in our little ponies once again,” Luna said softly as Shining Armor used his magic to carefully untangle his wife from Dr. Kelly, grinning and rolling his eyes as the two females only made it more difficult by trying to help him, “it has been so very long since we have seen adult ponies throwing their worries to the wind and embracing their inner foal.” She glanced at Ambassador Lang as he covered his face with a hand and shook his head back and forth, “Perhaps our people are not so different after all, even though we come from such different origins.”

“You might be right about that, Princess.” Shadow replied as Cadence finally pulled her wings free and hovered over to her husband, a sheepish smile and a deep blush lighting up her face as she spouted out apologies to Dr. Kelly. Will tried to hold in his laughter as he passed the stammered words back and forth between the two beet red females, his own face twitching as he failed to keep his mirth from escaping in short bursts.

After the humorous embarrassment that the greeting had devolved into, there wasn’t much to be said other than the humans were welcome to stay in the castle for as long as they required, with royal guard escort of course. A summons had been sent to the other kingdoms of Equis and the rulers of the other countries were expected to arrive sometime within the next three days. To allow for any delays in travel, the summit between the species would be held in four days’ time, where the humans would present themselves to the world at large and discuss things concerning trade and other such matters. Ambassador Lang would lead this portion of the mission, as was his duty, while Dr. Kelly did research into the different aspects of the native species and how they might be useful to the human collective. In order to better manage their time and resources, Shadow would translate for Dr. Kelly and Lieutenant Bellwood while Will did the same for Ambassador Lang and Captain Goodwill. This way they could split up and not leave any member of the team without the ability to communicate should the need arise.

All seemed to be well for the most part as the sun overhead began its journey towards the horizon, and Shadow was enjoying a moment of rest while Dr. Kelly and the others set up their rooms in the guest suite of the castle. The men had been assigned to the room next to Dr. Kelly and the lieutenant, although Shadow ended up bunking with the women, given Dr. Kelly was the only member of the team who could operate the machinery necessary for his maintenance.

The rooms themselves were rather opulent when it came to the décor, although that was probably to be expected given where they were and who usually stayed in these quarters. The room that the women shared had a set of twin beds that were large enough to hold at least three humans at a time, along with a bathroom that was more like an indoor pool when compared to the usual dimensions of a private restroom. A balcony overlooked the castle courtyard and over the city beyond, allowing the otherworldly visitors to see the vast plains below the city and even glimpse the small homes of Ponyville if one knew where to look. All and all, it was a significant shift from the small town feel Ponyville offered in abundance, but not unwelcome to the planet jumpers as they unpacked what little extra supplies they had brought.

Dr. Kelly and Lieutenant Bellwood shared a professional courtesy with one another and split the closet space down the middle so that nothing would get confused, although Shadow noted that the guard had much more utilitarian choices when it came to the clothing she had packed. Jeans and t-shirts were stationed over a set of combat boots while her armor was folded and stored on a folding rack that had been a part of the gear that was stuffed in her backpack. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelly had a second lab coat, a formal dress in a dark shade of red that reached down past her knees, and a plethora of science equipment that seemed to have taken a large portion of her packing space in leu of any personal effects. All told, the women had four sets of clothing apiece, although given how long it was going to be before the portal could be opened again, there was the necessity that all of the clothing was going to get washed at some point or other.

And speaking of the science equipment that Dr. Kelly had jammed into her backpack, there was a set of tools and a compact charging station that would allow Shadow to stay in peak performance even while away from Earth. Given Dr. Kelly was the one who oversaw the maintenance of the CW units prior to their current mission, it only made sense that she would bring the necessary kit for their trip to keep Shadow at full functionality.

The entire team had been invited to dinner with the royal family once they had settled into their new residence, and so Shadow joined the humans as they journeyed through the castle halls with yet another royal guard leading the way. While Shadow could have easily directed the team through the seemingly labyrinthine corridors, he knew that Celestia and Luna were just doing what they could to help their subjects adjust to the interplanetary travelers. After all, seeing an alien wandering the halls without a royal escort would be a bit disconcerting if one didn’t know how the aliens were going to react. Little did the castle staff realize, the humans were feeling much the same way, if Shadow’s sensors were any judge of their current mood.

And yet, just as everything seemed to be going their way, everything went horribly, horribly wrong.

It started out as a simple mistake, as these things usually do. The guard that was guiding them turned around a corner, Dr. Kelly immediately behind him as the rest of the group followed. Yet just as the woman shifted her weight to turn, she bumped into someone and fell back on her behind as the other being stumbled back onto his flanks. Dr. Kelly was in the midst of apologizing while the unicorn rubbed his head with one hoof, but as he opened his sky-blue eyes, time seemed to slow down as disaster struck.

Shadow picked up on the blonde stallion’s heart rate spiking as his eyes narrowed into pinpricks of terror, his horn lighting up with a bright blue light as Dr. Kelly watched on in surprise. Shadow’s movements were slowed as he tried to get around Will and Ambassador Lang, preventing him from interceding before the panicked unicorn fired a bolt of pure magic into the center of Dr. Kelly’s chest. The impact sent the stunned woman flying back and into the far wall as the stallion screamed bloody murder, his eyes locking onto the other humans in the hallway as the guard tried and failed to calm down the terrified pony. Magic fired in every direction as the panicked pony closed his eyes, bolts of deadly energy shooting through the air like a hail of bullets as he screamed “Monster!” at the top of his lungs between ear-piercing screeches.

The rest of the team ducked behind whatever cover they could find, the pillars bordering the corridor or under the benches against the inner wall, anything to prevent them from sharing Dr. Kelly’s fate. The woman slumped below the eve of a window, her body only a foot to the left from having been flung out of the stained glass and into the open air beyond. A trail of red marred the stone as she bled onto the previously immaculate floor, her body limp and her lab coat torn and blackened from the heat and force of the magic bolt.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the stallion wore himself out, falling to the floor in a dead faint as the singular guard stared in shocked horror. Captain Goodwill and Lieutenant Bellwood did not share the sentiment, rushing from their hiding spots and checking on both Dr. Kelly and the unnamed stallion.

“Clear!” Bellwood cried as her hand came to a rest on the stallion’s neck, “Strong pulse and no signs of any injuries. Looks like the poor sap fainted from the shock.”

“Get a doctor in here now!” Goodwill yell as the rest of the humans slowly climbed out of their hiding places, “The doc’s skull’s been cracked and she’s bleeding like a stuck pig! Shadow,” he pointed at the still frozen guard pony, “tell that sorry sack of manure that if he doesn’t get his rear in gear right now, the doctor is going to bleed out right here in the hallway!”

Shadow immediately passed on the message, the already white fur of the pegasus’ face blanching as he spread his wings and shot off down the hall like a bullet. Meanwhile, both Bellwood and Goodwill used what little medical gear they had on them to try and slow the bleeding, although there was little they could do to keep the broken pieces of Dr. Kelly’s skull from moving around under the makeshift bandage.

A flurry of ponies came and went in the next several minutes, including but not limited to Princess Celestia and the other members of the royal family as the medical staff rushed both Dr. Kelly and the still unnamed unicorn to the medical wing of the castle. Suffice to say, dinner was canceled for the evening while everyone waited for news, be it good or bad. Yet from what the Shadow had seen from the doctors and nurses that had rushed the two casualties away, the odds were not in favor of everything coming out alright.

Shadow knew this more than anyone else, because as they had levitated Dr. Kelly onto a stretcher, his sensors had ceased to detect her heartbeat. Even if the doctors could restart her heart, and somehow repair the damage to her skull, the chances that there had been permanent brain damage from the impact were almost a certainty.

Not even one day in the capital of Equestria, and already everything was falling apart. If this was setting a precedent for how the rest of the negotiations were going to transpire, then it could very well be that there wouldn’t be a team left to return to Earth once the portal opened again.

Shadow simply sat down in the middle of the hallway, his processors running a mile a minute and yet unable to compute any concrete data, until everyone had left and he was the only one still present at the scene of the event. He glanced at the blood that was still dripping down the wall, his optics locking on a single drop as it ran over the cracks in the stone until it reached the pool that had collected on the floor.

His processors finally ground to a halt, and he lifted his head high as a mournful howl escaped his muzzle. It echoed through the halls of the castle and out over the streets of the city, the blood red sunset matching the mood of the entire castle as Dr. Kelly fought for her life on the operating table. Shadow continued to howl until the last light of the sun had faded, his head falling until his gaze reached the floor between his front paws.

The last thing he could remember, was the foreign sensation of moisture running from his optics and over his muzzle, falling to the floor with a pitter-patter as he slumped over on his side.

…ERROR: EMOTION DRIVE OVERLOAD DETECTED…

…HYPERCORE UNABLE TO COMPENSATE…

…IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN REQUIRED…

…CPU POWERING DOWN…

…Power Core: 96%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 12:00:00:04…03…02…01…

Author's Note

Welp, that happened. I hope you all weren't expecting things to go easy for our intrepid heroes after they mannaged to survive Ponyville. Things are just getting started and I have no plans on slowing down. Also, hope you are all enjoying the frequent chapters again. I've found my motivation and I plan to keep the ball rolling as long as I can.

Please give a warm shout out to my Patron Earthpatriot117, as well as to one of my current readers, Chadburger, who have helped me to move past my writer's block by requesting chapter updates for all of you to enjoy. I know it might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but I get more motivation to write when ponies ask for updates, so as annoying as it may seem, the more you pester me for new chapters, the faster I'm going to write them, within reason of course. So keep those comments coming, and I hope to see all of you in future instalments of all my stories.

See you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

17 - ...Ends With the Dawn

…System Reboot Initiated…

…CPU: Operational…

…Motor Systems: Optimal…

…Emotion Drive: Stable…

…Critical Error Resolved…

…Beginning Power-up Sequence…

…Power Core: 95%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 11:20:37:47…46…45…44…

Shadow’s optics slowly came into focus as his systems recovered from his forced shutdown, his movements sluggish as his processors reconfigured to his current orientation. He was lying on his side on what appeared to be a hospital bed, the blinds pulled open to reveal that it was night at the present moment. He slowly moved into a seated position, his gaze traveling around the room as the events leading up to his emotional overload began to run through his mind. It only took a second or two for him to analyze and catalogue the relevant information into subfolders for future use, his processors focused on one thing as he jumped off the bed and made his way to the door.

Dr. Kelly was critically injured, and given how much time had passed, there were only two possibilities as to her current condition. Either the pony doctors had stabilized her, or she was no longer alive.

Shadow opened the door to his room, glancing left and right down the hallway in an attempt to see if anyone was present, but all that met his searching gaze was a dimly lit corridor with a few other doors on either side. Knowing that Dr. Kelly had to be in the hospital somewhere, he followed his audio receptors and turned down the staircase until he reached what he presumed to be the ground floor. The soft chatter of ponies could be detected from a large distance, thanks to the stillness of the night, and it was only a few moments longer before Shadow opened the door to the Recovery Ward.

Standing around a bed in the center of the large room, were Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor and what appeared to be the doctor on duty. The dark blue unicorn was wearing a coat and had a surgery mask hanging around his neck as he talked with Celestia, although if the dark expressions on their faces were anything to go by, the news wasn’t good. Captain Goodwill was standing to one side in full battle gear, his weapon at ease but his gaze locked on the door leading to the hall, the perfect image of a menacing guard dog. No one was going to harm his charge while he was on the job, of that Shadow was certain. Other than that, the rest of the diplomatic team was missing from the scene, although given the time of night Shadow presumed that they had gone to sleep and would come back in the morning.

Princess Luna was the first one to spot Shadow as he entered, save for Goodwill’s nod of acknowledgement, her face lighting up as she turned to face him, “Shadow! Praise be that you are well. We were worried that you had fallen to some unknown ailment and would never return to the waking world.”

“I’m alright now, Princess,” Shadow replied as he walked up to the gathered ponies, “but I can tell that there is something that is bothering you. Is Dr. Kelly no longer with us?”

Luna glanced at her sister before the doctor spoke up, his gaze locking with Shadow’s for a moment before turning to the bed behind them, “The patient is stable for now, but there is something that you all need to know.” Shadow stepped past Celestia and looked down on the sleeping form of Dr. Kelly, his ears turned towards the pony doctor so he could listen as he inspected the unconscious woman, “While we were able to repair the holes in her skull and sealed the cracks in her ribcage, I’m sorry to say that there is nothing we can do for the damage to her brain. Physically, she is perfectly healthy, but mentally, we are slowly but surely losing her.”

Shadow turned his gaze away from Kelly and back to the doctor, “You mean she’s dying.”

He nodded, “Indeed. While there are many things healing magic can do, there is nothing that can be done to fix a broken mind. She will continue to breathe on her own for a while, as well as display sporadic brain activity, but eventually the damage to her mind will overcome her body and she will die. I am deeply sorry, I would do more if I could, but unless we delved into dark magic, there is nothing anypony can do to save the human at this point.” He bowed his head and turned away, “I’ll let you say your goodbyes. She might be able to hear you, so I guess that could offer some comfort before her final moments. I’d say she has an hour or two before the time comes, so I’d make it quick. With your leave, Princess, I shall return to my other patients.”

The door closed behind him and for a moment there was nothing save for the soft chirping of Dr. Kelly’s heart monitor. Then, Celestia turned to face Captain Goodwill, her expression guarded and her voice level as she spoke, “Shadow, please repeat what I am about to say so that your guard can understand me. There are a few things that I must know before we go any further.”

Shadow nodded, stepping up to Celestia’s side as the diarch spoke and returning the Captain’s words in turn once he replied.

“What actions will the humans take if Dr. Kelly does not survive?” Celestia asked, “What retribution will they seek for the death of an ambassador?”

The Captain turned his eyes to address Celestia but did not turn away from guarding the doorway of the room. His voice was level and his delivery succinct as his reply growled through the air, “Murder is a serious crime for humans. We used to imprison those that did such deeds for the rest of their lives, but as the prison population grew to unmanageable levels, alternatives had to be looked for in order to keep people from committing the acts in the first place, or at least to discourage the vast majority.”

Celestia’s face became unreadable as a mask fell over her features, “And what alternatives were eventually settled upon?”

“Death.” Was the simple reply, “The taking of a life would be met with the loss of one’s own. Straightforward, to the point, and permanent. I do not know what ponies do to people such as that, but given the circumstances, it doesn’t matter. The ambassador will uphold the laws of our people and request that the perpetrator be tried in a human court. If found guilty of his actions, which I would almost guarantee, then he would be put before a firing squad and sentenced to death for the murder of an ambassador. If you do not allow us to try him in our courts, then you would be pressured to perform similar actions in your own legal system. Given the charge is murder, I would say that unless you imprison him for life, or something more severe, humanity would threaten you with war for the unprovoked killing of an ambassador.”

“And if we chose to resist when we do not dispatch the guilty party?” Luna countered.

“You would lose,” Goodwill replied, “It wouldn’t even be a fight worth writing about in the history books. It would be a one-sided bloodbath that would result in your people massacred by the thousands. We are a space-faring race, Your Highness, with weapons that can level cities from orbit and single-person platforms that can take out opposing combatants from over three miles away. One man could take out this entire city without ever setting foot inside the walls, with the push of a button. I’m not saying you wouldn’t put up a fight, but as it stands, you wouldn’t have a prayer at even scratching our combat forces.”

Silence followed his words, the shock on the pony’s faces evident for all to see as Shadow finished translating. Cadence looked slightly green after hearing what the Captain had said, while Shining Armor simply stared into space, his mouth repeating what Goodwill had foretold like a mantra of doom. Even Luna seemed to have been cowed by the certainty that the human guard had spoken with, her eyes traveling over to Dr. Kelly as if witnessing the death of her subjects with every second that passed, slowly progressing towards destruction as the doctor’s life faded bit by bit.

Yet, as Shadow turned to face Celestia, he saw a determination in her gaze that rivaled the heat of the sun, her gaze traveling to the slumbering form of Dr. Kelly as the other royals moved out of the way. Celestia stood over the unconscious woman and closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before turning to Goodwill once again.

“I will not sentence my ponies to death when there is another option.” Her voice was determined and level as her eyes moved back to Dr. Kelly, her eyes softening as her horn lit up, “There will be no need for such punishment if Dr. Kelly lives. While the actions of Prince Blueblood will not go unanswered for, I will not allow relations between our peoples to be marred by death when peace and harmony can be achieved instead. Luna, Cadence, I will need your help if I am going to make this work.”

The other royals stepped up to the bed, Luna on the opposite side while Cadence stood at the base, “What are you going to do, sister?” Luna asked.

“Something that will change history for both ponies and humans from this moment forward.” Was the cryptic reply, “I will guide the spell, I just need your power in order to complete it. Hopefully it will be enough to save Dr. Kelly’s life, and prevent disaster from befalling our world.”

Three horns lit up at the same time, light blue and deep navy magic shooting into Dr. Kelly’s body as Celestia’s golden aura enveloped the woman’s form. Goodwill and Shining Armor shielded their eyes as the light climbed to blinding levels, although Shadow refused to look away as Dr. Kelly’s body was slowly lifted from the bed and into the air. Ribbons of light folded around her as the wires secured to her arm and chest fell off, the shriek of the heart monitor flatlining echoing around the room as the cocoon of magic completely hid Dr. Kelly from view.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the light began to fade from the room as the door burst open, the frantic eyes of the doctor and a duo of nurses falling onto the glowing ball of magic as it began to drop onto the bed once more. Shining Armor and Captain Goodwill lowered their arm/foreleg and gaped at what had happened, the doctor and nurses following suite as jaws dropped to the floor. The heart monitor was forgotten as the ball of light settled onto the sheets once again, slowly fading as a form was revealed from within. Yet it was not the form of a human that met the eyes of everyone present.

Lying on her side, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath, was a cream-coated unicorn, her two-tone gold and red mane falling over one shoulder while her tail curled up between her hind legs. The alicorns sank to their haunches as the medical staff rushed to check on the new pony in the room, one of the nurses finally shutting off the heart monitor as the doctor scanned Dr. Kelly with his magic.

“I don’t believe it.” The doctor said as he finished his scan, “She’s completely healed. Princess, you managed to heal the damage to her brain! But, won’t her body return to normal once the transmodification spell wears off?”

Celestia gently waved off the nurse that was fussing over her, standing once again as Captain Goodwill slowly approached. She watched as the guard inspected the former human with a narrowed gaze, his eyes slowly moving from the sleeping mare to the Princess’s neutral expression, “What exactly did you do to her?”

Shadow figured that his translation wouldn’t be needed, but he did carry over Celestia’s reply as she glanced at both the doctor and Goodwill, “While a normal transmodification spell would wear off after a period of time, the spell that I just used is far more powerful. It takes the living essence of a being and safeguards it while changing their form from one species to another. Dr. Kelly is still the same being she once was, but now in a pony body. Instead of her transformation being temporary, her new form is tied to her lifeforce, which makes it as permanent as the life she lives. She will be a pony for the rest of her life, but at least it will be a life that will last longer than what precious few hours her old body had to live. While I would not normally use such drastic measures for one individual, the threat of war between our people was far too great a risk for me not to act.”

“But what about her duties as a scientist?” Goodwill replied, “She has obligations to the diplomatic team that must be met if we are to open proper negotiations. How can she perform those duties if she’s no longer human?”

“Rest assured, Dr. Kelly will still be able to perform her duties once she gets used to her new body.” Celestia said, a hint of venom tinging her tone as her gaze shifted to the far wall, “I will personally guarantee that she will have everything she could possibly need in order to ensure that your mission is a success. Plus,” a devilish smirk found its way to her lips as her eyes returned to the Captain, “she won’t be forced to learn on her own how to use her new body. We will help her in every way we can and enact punishment on our wayward nephew at the same time.”

Tilted heads and confused expressions were the norm as Celestia turned and opened the door, “Please, follow me. The medical staff will ensure that nothing happens to Dr. Kelly while we are gone. I request that you accompany us as well, Captain. I believe a human witness is required for what I am about to do.”

The royals filed out of the room, Shadow and Goodwill following behind as they made their way through the halls of the hospital. They quickly found themselves standing in front of another room, although if the loud complaining coming from within was any indication, the resident of said room was already up and aware.

Celestia’s horn glowed as she opened the door, the grating whining thankfully falling silent for the moment as the rest of the group entered. Sitting on the bed, a rather relieved-looking nurse standing beside him, was Prince Blueblood himself, his eyes narrowed in annoyance and gratitude at the same time. While Celestia and company filed into the room, the nurse beat a hasty retreat, slipping by the larger ponies as the prince began talking again in his overblown and pompous attitude.

“Oh, thank goodness you’ve arrived Auntie, I was just telling these simpletons that I am perfectly fine and should be released from this establishment post haste, due to the fact that I have a party to attend tonight that I must be…present…for…” His voice rose by several octaves as he spotted Shadow and Captain Goodwill entering the room, his eyes narrowing into pinpricks as his heart began racing once again.

Yet, before anything else could happen, a golden glow enveloped the prince’s body, forestalling his scream and cutting off his magic as Celestia marched up to the edge of the bed, “That is quite enough, Prince Blueblood. You have caused quite enough trouble for one day. I will not let your cowardice cause another international incident like what happened this afternoon.”

“Whatever do you mean?” He asked as his eyes shifted from Celestia to the aliens in the room and back again, “Those are some of the monsters that attacked me in the main hall! They should be locked up in Tartarus for attacking part of the royal family! Auntie Luna,” His gaze shifted to the navy alicorn, who was watching the proceedings with a narrowed expression, “please inform your sister of the transgressions laid upon me by these beasts! I was nearly killed and now they are being allowed to roam freely about the castle!”

“BE SILENT!!” Everyone present jumped as Celestia’s voice echoed around the room, “Prince Blueblood, these are not monsters, nor were you attacked when you encountered these beings earlier today. They are part of a diplomatic team that was sent here to negotiate the relationship between our peoples. Your actions nearly led to the death of an ambassador and could have led to all-out war between the humans and Equestria. Your self-centered ego nearly cost us the peace that has lasted for over a thousand years, and even now you still paint yourself as the victim after nearly murdering an innocent being.”

Blueblood sputtered, trying to come up with a reply, but Celestia wasn’t having any of it, “You will remain silent until I am finished speaking, or else I might reconsider allowing the humans to handle the matter of your trial.” That shut the pompous unicorn up quickly, his jaw closing with a click as Celestia’s tone dropped into a deadly serious rumble, “Due to your actions, and the penalties that have been levied against you by the humans, I am left with no choice but to revoke your title as Prince. You are not worthy of the title after your actions today, and you bring shame upon the noble ponies that came before you. Your land, holdings and wealth will be seized by the crown, and you will be forced to serve the needs of your victim for the next five years. You will care for her while she adjusts to her new body and abilities, and you will assist her in every way possible while she continues her duties as part of the ambassadorial staff. You will live with the humans, learn their language and teach our own so that we can avoid any further incidents born of misunderstandings. You are no longer a member of the royal family, but you still carry the weight of Equestria’s future on your haunches. Your actions will have direct consequences on how the humans perceive ponies, so take care not to disappoint them or me as you move forward. Mess this up, and nothing will protect you from the punishment that was originally placed upon your head, not even me.”

Shadow translated for Goodwill quietly as the former prince gaped in shock at Celestia. Yet as his gaze traveled from one cold face to the next, reality seemed to sink in and tears ran from his eyes as he climbed off of the bed, sinking to his knees before Celestia’s hooves as he blubbered, “Please, you can’t do this to me! My family has been part of the nobility for generations! You-You can’t take my title away! The other noble houses won’t stand for it! I’ll tell them all, I’ll make you reconsider when the other noble houses threaten to revolt! I’m a prince! I’m above these lowly creatures that have seen to trample through our home like they own it! You can’t do this to me!”

Celestia stood there with an impassive expression as the unicorn before her fell further and further into his misery, her cold mask unmoved as she simply turned away and walked out. Shadow and Goodwill followed as the other royals brought up the rear, the wailing cries of Blueblood fading into the background as the door was slammed shut behind them.

“What will we do if he follows through with his threat, sister?” Luna asked as they returned to the room containing Dr. Kelly, “Even we cannot stand against the noble houses if they choose to unite against us to support Blueblood.”

“Leave that to me.” Celestia’s tone was flat, her mane hanging lower than usual as the weariness of the day seemed to catch up with her, “I will make sure that nopony can save Blueblood from his punishment. Not this time. He has gone too far, and his punishment has been a long time coming. I will personally see to it that he does not touch a single bit until he has paid the price for what he did. He will never be a prince, but he will be able to earn back his place as a noble, given enough time and hard work.”

“Then what shall be done about Dr. Kelly’s safety?” Luna added, “Surely you won’t entrust our former nephew to have her best interests at heart after what just happened.”

“That is why I will be assigning more of our staff to help Dr. Kelly as she gets used to her body and new abilities.” Celestia’s lips curled slightly as she glanced over her shoulder at Luna, “You wouldn’t think I’d let Blueblood have her all to himself when she needs bathing and other such things, would you?” She giggled as Luna’s cheeks turned red at the very idea, “Relax, sister, I will make sure that nothing bad happens. Plus, I’m certain that our friend Shadow won’t be letting the good doctor out of his sight for the foreseeable future.”

Luna nodded, her blush fading as she glanced back at Shadow, who had been busy passing on the sister’s words to Goodwill as they returned to Dr. Kelly’s room.

They entered the room once again just as the doctor was finishing up with his examination. The heart monitor and the I.V. drip had been hooked up again, although it was probably more for show than to help Dr. Kelly heal.

“The patient seems to be fully healed.” The stallion said as the royals filed into the room once again, “However, we’re keeping her sedated while we run a few tests, just to make sure nothing unusual is going on. Our preliminary scans have shown that she has next to no magic in her body, so until she absorbs enough of the ambient field to safely utilize her horn, we’re going to keep her here for observation and monitoring. Rest assured that she will make a full recovery in time, but as to how long that will take, I do not have a definitive answer.”

“Thank you, Dr. Suture,” Celestia replied, “We request that any changes in Dr. Kelly’s condition be reported to us immediately, and that nopony is to speak with her until we have a chance to explain what has happened. Shadow,” her gaze leveled on the mechanical hound as he stepped up to the bedside, “please refrain from telling Dr. Kelly anything until my sister and I have a chance to talk with her ourselves. I think it will be a bit easier for her to take it if the reason for her transformation comes from the ones who performed it. Do you understand?”

Shadow nodded, “I do, but I will not lie to her if she asks me what happened prior to the change. I’ll leave the magic explanations to you, but anything concerning the actions of Blueblood and the resulting aftereffects I will not hide from her. She has a right to know what happened, and I see no reason to keep the truth from her if she asks.”

The ponies nodded their agreement as one, Shadow passing on the Princess’s request to Goodwill as the guard took up his position against the wall once more. He grunted his understanding as Shadow sat down next to the bed, everypony except Luna yawning as eyes began to droop.

“Well, I think we should retire for the night.” Celestia covered up a second yawn with a hoof as she turned to face Luna, “I will leave the stewardship of the night in your capable hooves, sister. Please wake me if anything happens or if Dr. Kelly’s condition changes in any way. We’ve come too far to let something slip between our hooves now.”

Luna gently pushed Celestia out of the door, a smile on her lips as her elder sister weakly tried to fight another yawn, “Go to sleep, sister. I shall watch over our newest little pony with Shadow and Captain Goodwill while you rest. Put your worries aside for now and let me carry your burdens while you sleep. It has been a long day and there will be many more to come once Dr. Kelly awakens.”

With that said, Luna stepped aside to let Cadence and Shining Armor out of the room, closing the door softly behind them as she turned around and walked up to the bedside next to Shadow. The lunar diarch looked down on the sleeping mare with a slight frown on her muzzle, her words quiet as she spoke to the machine next to her.

“Such drastic changes in so little time,” her voice was soft but held a weight that seemed to hang over their heads as she continued, “it is a wonder more disasters have not befallen our fair Equestria in the time I was gone. And yet, I see great things coming from this union of cultures, although this poor mare is going to get caught in the middle, of that I am sure. She has a hard road ahead of her,” she glanced down at Shadow out of the corner of her eye, “can I count on you to help her through the coming trials? She will need support from her friends in her time of need, and I cannot imagine anybeing more qualified to protect her and to pull her up when she falls.”

Shadow looked at the human-turned-pony in the bed before him, his emotions running a mile a minute as he tried to compute as many possible scenarios concerning Dr. Kelly’s future. Yet all he ended up with was an overheated processor and a starship’s worth of frustration for his efforts, his mind settling on the simple fact that there were too many variables to predict what would happen next.

He let out a sigh and turned to face Luna, his voice uncertain as he replied, “I will do whatever I can to help and protect her. I’m just not sure if it will be enough to keep her safe.”

Luna’s smile lit up the room as she turned her own gaze to the unicorn mare, “That is all I can ask of anypony. You will do just fine, and I think that Dr. Kelly would say the same, if she knew that you were going to stand by her side. Have faith in yourself, and you will be able to face anything the future throws at you, no matter how challenging. I know a machine such as yourself does not need to sleep, but I do not want you to waste power when it is not needed. Rest now, I will watch over our little pony with the Captain until the morn.”

Shadow wanted to argue, but after overheating his processor and the unexpected shutdown caused by his emotion drive overloading, he was feeling a very foreign sensation in his body and mind. It was like his systems were running at half speed, and his movements were sluggish to the point of almost setting off an error in his coordination program. Shadow identified the sensation as being worn out, but given his mechanical nature, that shouldn’t have been possible. Yet as his optics powered down, he couldn’t argue with the facts as he lay down on his stomach plating and rested his head on his front paws. The last thing he registered before his power-down sequence began, was of Luna softly chuckling to herself.

…Power Core: 94%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 11:16:53:21…20…19…18…

Author's Note

Yay! Another chapter for all of you to enjoy! Did you like what I did for old Blueballs? He's going to have a lot of work ahead of him, that's for sure. Also, my Friday's are mostly free from now on, so my plan is to post at least a chapter a week instead of the usual triple-tap-wait-a-month shtick that I used to do. I do not yet know if I'll be able to keep up with my plans, but I'll give it my best shot.

Other than that, a shout out to my Patron Earthpatriot117 and all the other readers who push me forward with your requests for updates. Remember, keep sending requests and I'll be more motivated to write more chapters for all of you to enjoy.

With that out of the way, I hope you are all enjoying the book so far, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

18 - A New Beginning

Shadow powered up the following morning, his optics coming online just as the sunrise began to filter in between the curtains. His legs shifted to support his weight as he stood up, his gaze coming to rest on Luna as the lunar diarch’s horn glowed in a soft blue light. Her eyes opened moments later as her horn went dark, her attention shifting to Shadow as he walked up to the edge of the bed to observe the pony lying within. While parts of his processors couldn’t compute the shift, his optics did not lie about the change that had been enacted upon Dr. Kelly, her smaller chest rising and falling slowly as her heart monitor steadily beeped in the background.

“As we told thee,” Luna smiled as she stood from her seated position and joined Shadow beside the bed, “we kept her safe over the night and ensured that her slumber was peaceful. We would not dream of letting nightmares plague her mind after all that she has been through.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Shadow replied as he turned to Captain Goodwill, “Was there anything that happened that I need to be aware of while I was powered down?”

The armored human shook his helm slightly, “Nothing to report other than a few nurses coming in to check on the doctor.” He glanced at the bed before turning back to Shadow, “Part of me still doesn’t believe that really is Dr. Kelly in that bed. It just seems too strange to be real.”

Shadow nodded his understanding, although he was interrupted by the door opening behind him before he could reply. All eyes shifted to the opening as a small cluster of ponies entered, including Princess Celestia and Dr. Suture. The nurses stepped up to the bed and began disconnecting the wires and I.V. drip from Dr. Kelly, Celestia and Suture stopping next to Luna’s side once the extra equipment was removed from the unconscious mare’s limbs and chest.

“We’re taking her off of the drip and letting her body filter out the drugs that have been keeping her under.” Dr. Suture stated clearly as the nurses left the way they had come, “From what we can tell, she has absorbed enough magic to prevent exhaustion if she can learn to cast spells, although I would recommend limited use until she can adjust to her new form and abilities. Other than that, there isn’t any more we can do except let the patient learn on her own. We will be available should physical training be necessary, although given the state of her muscles and bones, it should be more mental than physical when it comes to moving about.” He turned his attention to Celestia and Luna, “We have informed Blueblood that his charge will be waking up soon, and that you will summon him when he is needed.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Celestia replied, bowing her head slightly as the stallion exited, leaving the diarchs to return their attention to the slumbering mare before them.

“It seems like only yesterday that you first came to our world and met with the girls in Ponyville.” Celestia mused as she placed a hoof on the edge of the bed, her gaze locked on Dr. Kelly as a sigh escaped her muzzle, “My how things have changed since then. Aliens walk among our little ponies and one of them has been changed into our kind after nearly losing her life to one of our own. Truly a series of events that I never imagined would come to pass.”

“It seems that there will be further surprises in store for us all,” Luna added as she placed a wing over her sister’s back, “especially after the rest of the humans find out what has happened to Dr. Kelly. I am not sure how they will react, but I know that it will stretch what little trust they have in us near the breaking point. We must tread carefully moving forward, sister, or else we may still face the wrath of the humans after what has happened.”

“Let us hope that does not happen.” Celestia agreed, “We did the best we could under the circumstances, so we must have trust in ourselves and in our new friends that our efforts will be accepted as such. Now,” her attention shifted to a scroll that appeared in her magic grip, the parchment unfurling next to her head before floating down before Shadow, “I would appreciate it if you could check my work for errors before I speak with Dr. Kelly. I worked with your friend Wilcox for several hours in order to learn the basics of your language last night. It’s not poetry by any means, but it is my hope that I can at least clearly pass on what happened and why we did what we did in order to save Dr. Kelly’s life. I hope that she can forgive us for what we have done, and I don’t want her opinion to be shifted because I did not use the proper wording.”

Shadow glanced over the document before him, the translation matrix running corrections in seconds over the short but clearly English words. Celestia might not have had more than a few hours to learn the human tongue, but for a first attempt it was more than sufficient to get the message across. He nodded to her before she levitated the scroll back over to her side, rolling it up and folding it under a wing as she turned her attention back to the bedridden unicorn.

It was just over half an hour later when Dr. Kelly began to stir, her body shifting slightly and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room as her muzzle curled downward in a grimace. Her forelegs shifted against the sheets for a few seconds, although it seemed that the new muscles were not responding as she would like, because after a few seconds of limited success, she let out a frustrated sigh and cracked her eyes open.

“Would someone please explain to me why my arms feel like they’ve been filled with lead?” She asked, her now bright emerald gaze shifting over the other beings present before landing on Shadow, “Shadow, what happened? The last thing I remember was that unicorn screaming bloody murder, and then it’s all a blank.”

Shadow shifted his attention to Celestia, who slowly placed her hoof on the bedside once again, her magic pulling out the scroll as Dr. Kelly’s eyes widened in shock. Her gaze had been pulled down as Celestia placed a hoof on top of her own, the former human’s eyes growing wider and wider as she shifted her head to take in more of her new body. Shadow could detect Dr. Kelly’s rising heart rate, her panic growing as her mind tried to rationalize what her body was telling her, only to grind to a complete halt as Celestia spoke in clear and practiced English.

“Dr. Kelly.” The unicorn’s eyes jerked back to Celestia as the larger mare’s gaze softened with pity, “I am sorry for what has happened. You were attacked and we were forced to change you into a pony in order to save your life. Had we not acted, you would have died, and the ponies we care for would have been faced with a war that we could not win. We understand if you are confused and afraid, so are we. But it is our hope that we can learn from one another and to move forward as one. The one responsible for your injuries has been punished, and we will help you in every way we can so that you can continue your work with the rest of your team.”

Celestia paused to check over her notes, allowing Dr. Kelly to close her gaping jaw as her eyes began to fill with tears, “While you may be a pony in body, you are still human in mind and spirit, and we will not force you to do anything that you do not wish for yourself. You are not under our control nor will you be forced to live here should you wish to return home with your team. You are still the same being you were before, just with some changes that will take getting used to. For all that you have gone through and will go through in the future, my sister and I give our most humble apologies and wish that you can forgive us for what has happened.”

The scroll rolled up and settled on the table beside the bed as Celestia turned her attention back to Dr. Kelly, a small smile on her lips as she reached up and wiped away the tears that had begun to fall from the unicorn’s eyes, “We wish there had been another way, but as it stands, what has been done cannot be undone, and we must all live with the actions that have been taken to ensure we can move forward. You are not alone, and your friends will help you to keep going even if the road ahead is difficult. Hold your head high, little pony, and do not let your second chance at life go to waste.”

For a moment, Dr. Kelly simply stared at Celestia, her wide eyes seemingly not seeing the alicorn as her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Finally, a light of recognition returned to her emerald orbs, and as she looked down at her fur-covered forelegs, reality seemed to crash down on her head like a ton of bricks. Her teeth ground together as her eyes shut tight, fresh tears streaming down her face as her head fell back on the pillow. Her wails of sorrow and loss echoed around the room as her new limbs managed to find their way to her face, covering her eyes and muzzle as her sobs shook her body from head to tail. Celestia and Luna’s ears folded against their heads as pity overcame their expressions, although they perked upright again as Captain Goodwill shifted from his post against the wall and walked up to the other side of the bed.

He placed his weapon against the wall before turning his body back to the sobbing mess that rested on the bed before him, letting the distraught mare cry for a while longer before a single gloved hand reaching out as he bent down on one knee. Dr. Kelly’s sobbing slowed as his hand came to rest on the top of her head, her forelegs slowly lowering as she looked up at the faceplate that hovered over her. Sniffs and choked sobs still managed to escape her as Goodwill’s hand slowly rubbed the top of her head, although they slowly faded as a soft sigh managed to overcome them. Her eyes slowly closed as her head leaned into the pressure that his hand provided, her forelegs falling against the bed as her sobs finally subsided.

“You won’t have to do this alone.” Goodwill rumbled out as Kelly’s eyes opened again, her new face reflected in his helm’s visor as the guard slowly removed his hand from her head, “The ponies did what they had too in order to save your life. Don’t let this opportunity slip past you because you want to go back to the way things were. You are a pony now. Deal with it and move on or so help me I will take your tiny little body and toss you in the nearest body of water to make you see straight. You are a representative of humanity, pony body or not, so you are going to wipe away those tears, hold your chin high as any self-respecting person should, and you are going to make sure you do whatever it takes to complete the mission we set out to do. Do I make myself clear?”

A shaky giggle managed to escape Kelly’s mouth as she wiped her eyes with a hoof, “W-Well look at you acting all s-sensitive. I never thought I’d see the d-day when the infamous Captain Goodwill would show a side o-other than stoic and c-controlled.” Her eyes closed as she sucked in a deep breath, letting it out in a rush as she turned her attention back to the royal sisters. Her eyes were still bloodshot and there was a slight tremor to her jaw, but her lips were curled into a small smile none the less as she addressed the alicorn sitting next to her. “Very well, I’ll do my best, but first, would someone mind helping me to sit up? I’m having a bit of trouble getting my body to do what I want it to.”

Goodwill nodded, slowly moving his arms around the mare’s upper body before pulling her up into a seated position. Naturally, the sheets covering her upper body slid down as she came up, and Dr. Kelly’s eyes flew wide open as she struggled to lift her forelegs to keep the wayward cloth in place. Yet her uncoordinated movements did nothing to stop the sheet from falling into her lap, although as her bare chest came into view, both she and the captain seemed to realize that there was no longer anything there that needed to be covered.

Her eyes narrowed in concentration, Kelly slowly lifted a hoof up to her fur-covered chest, her hoof feeling around for a moment before a long sigh escaped her mouth, “Right, pony body.” Another sigh could be heard as she lowered her hoof to the bed again, nodding to Goodwill before the guard stepped back. For a moment Kelly glanced down at her chest before turning to Shadow, “Would you mind translating for us, so we don’t have to rely on Princess Celestia’s notes?”

Shadow nodded, his attention shifting to the two alicorns as Kelly did the same, “I’m not angry with you for saving my life, I want you to understand that. But I am upset that I had to become a pony in order to stay alive. I was attached to my identity as a human and I only realize it now that I was proud to be representing my species to your world. How can I still be a part of my team if I’m no longer human?”

Goodwill raised his hand to interject, but Celestia stopped him with a raised hoof of her own. The guard nodded and resumed his post while the solar diarch turned back to the mare before her, “As I said before, or at least I hope I explained it clearly, there was no other way to save you. Had you perished at the hooves of one of my ponies, then the likelihood was that our two people would be at war, and given the technology you possess, it would be a war doomed to go down in history as a one-sided bloodbath. I could not let my ponies face such horrors without trying everything in our power to save you. While you are a pony in body now, you still have your memories and skills as a human, and it is our hope that your team will accept these changes and continue to work with the nations of Equis to forge a better future together.”

“Indeed,” Luna added, “You are a proud people to hold your self-identity so close to heart, but it is that same identity that will hold you back if you cannot bring yourself to accept these changes. Your team may have some difficulty adjusting to your new form, but if you cannot accept yourself then how can you expect them to do the same? Self-worth is measured by one’s deeds, not what one looks like or what nation she belongs to. You are a human in the body of a pony, use that unique status to help your people to understand us just as we will learn to understand you. In essence, you have become a bridge between our worlds. Will you step forward and take the mantle you have been presented with or will you wallow in self-pity and let the chance of a lifetime pass you by?”

Kelly looked down at her hooves, lifting them into the air as she turned them over to inspect them from all sides, “But how can I perform my duties without hands?” Her gaze became morose as her limbs fell limp against the sheets, “I can’t write or use any of my tools without them, they require too much fine control to use my mouth.”

For the first time, Celestia smiled, her movements slow and yet focused as she lifted a hoof to her horn, “You will find that you may have gained more than you have lost, given that one of the basic abilities that unicorns possess is telekinesis.”

Kelly’s eyes flew upward, her jaw dropping as she spotted the short spire that sprouted from her forehead, one of her hooves moving up to touch it in a reverent manner, “You mean, the energy field that your planet possesses, I can access it?”

Celestia nodded, “We call that energy magic, and yes, as a unicorn, you will be able to learn how to control that energy in order to perform spells.” Her horn ignited as the scroll she had placed on the bedside floated into the air, Kelly’s eyes following it as it folded several times into the shape of a paper airplane. “Your ability is only limited by your imagination, and how much you study. Spellcasting is an art as much as a science, but in time, I have no doubts you will be able to master is just as you have your other skills.” Another flash of magic, and the scroll had turned into an apple, one that the princess immediately bit into, the sharp crunch of the fruit echoing through the room as a small line of juice ran down her chin. Kelly’s eyes widened in shock as Celestia wiped her mouth, placing the transformed fruit onto the bedside before turning her attention back to Kelly, “It is a part of you now, as close to your heart as breathing, learn to use it and you will find that you can do almost anything, provided you take to time to understand what you desire to perform.”

Kelly’s eyes shifted up to her own horn once again, her jaw working slowly as she mulled over the princess’s words. Finally, she shifted her gaze to Shadow, who offered a nod in encouragement as the unicorn turned back to Celestia and Luna.

“Thank you for telling me all of this.” Her voice had dropped to a near whisper as she bowed her head, “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t taken the time to help me understand.” Her eyes lifted to lock with Celestia’s while her head remained lowered, “Please, I would like to see the rest of my team. I think it’s time they knew what happened to me.”

Celestia nodded, her attention shifting to Luna as the other alicorn stood and walked over to the door. The handle was gripped in her navy magic, opening enough to allow the lunar princess to exit before closing behind her. The group sat in silence for a time, the slow ticking of the clock the only sound in the room save for Dr. Kelly’s nervous breathing. Shadow could tell that the mare was uncertain, and he felt a similar loop of code running through his processors as he detected the approaching vibrations of many footsteps. Like it or not, things had taken a drastic change in direction from his original mission, and he resolved to protect Dr. Kelly just as he had sworn to protect his friends in Ponyville. No one was going to harm any of his friends or teammates as long as he had something to say about it.

The door opened again once the approaching footsteps came to a halt, Ambassador Lang following Luna into the room with Will and Lieutenant Bellwood not far behind them. At first, the humans seemed confused when they spotted Kelly sitting on the bed, and Will turned his attention to Luna as her magic closed the door behind them.

“Is this some kind of joke?” He asked, “Where is Dr. Scott?”

“She is present before you in thine bed.” Luna replied, a hoof indicating the nervous mare as Kelly sheepishly smiled at the rest of her team.

“Hey guys.” She swallowed thickly as all eyes jerked to lock onto her, “Umm, I guess you could say I’m all better?” A slightly shaky giggle managed to force itself out of her muzzle, but it was short-lived as the jaws of her teammates dropped in shock.

“No way.” Will spoke more to himself then anyone else as he walked past Shadow and Celestia, his eyes never leaving Kelly as they scanned over her new form, “Doc, is that really you?”

Her expression having shifted to one of uncertainty, her ears folding against her head as she ducked her head closer to her chest, “Y-Yes. It’s me. The Princesses had to change me in order to save my life.” Her back straightened as the humans shifted their gazes to the alicorns, her eyes widening in alarm as Will clenched his fists, “They didn’t have a choice! If they hadn’t turned me into a pony, then I wouldn’t have survived! You have to believe me, I’m just as shocked as you, but if it was the only way then I’m just happy to be alive! Please,” tears began to run down her face as Will stepped up to Celestia, “I don’t want there to be any more fighting because of me.”

Shadow and Luna stepped between the irate man and Celestia, although that did little to stop him as he pushed both of them to either side. He marched directly up to Celestia and only came to a stop when his nose was inches from the end of her muzzle. Celestia didn’t back down nor did she look away as the seething cowboy stared her down.

“Was there truly no other choice?” He spoke slowly and deliberately, even as his hands clenched until his knuckles turned white at his sides, “Did you really have to change the doc into a pony to save her life?”

“I’m truly sorry, there wasn’t – ” Will cut her off before she could get any further.

“Answer me in English you goddamn mule!” Will’s voice echoed through the room, everyone present shrinking at his tone as he visibly fought to get is temper under control, “I taught you enough of our language last night for you to at least give me a yes or no. So, tell it to me, to all of us, one way or the other. Did you have to change Dr. Scott into a pony to keep her alive?”

Celestia’s ears folded against her head, visible remorse overcoming her regal mask as she nodded, her eyes never leaving Will’s as she replied, “Yes, it was the only way to save her. Had she stayed human, she would be dead, and my nephew would be charged with murder.” Her gaze traveled to Captain Goodwill, who had not moved from his post against the wall during the whole exchange, “Your guard told us what would happen if we refused to pass over Blueblood for trial, but I could not send one of my little ponies to his death if there was another way.” Her gaze returned to Will, her eyes hard as stone and her voice firm as she finished, “To prevent a war, and to save two lives, I did what had to be done. You may hate me for what has happened, but I did what I could to save everyone the pain of losing a friend or loved one to needless bloodshed.”

They stayed that way for several seconds, neither looking away or backing down, although Shadow noticed that Will’s hands had loosened slightly as he took the measure of the mare’s words. Finally, he stepped back, tipping his hat to Celestia before turning his attention back to Kelly, who had been frozen in place during the entire altercation.

“So, it’s really you under all that fur, huh?” He walked up and inspected Kelly on a loser level as the nervous mare nodded her agreement, “Well at least I don’t have to worry about you being taller than me, now that you’re a pint-sized little pony.”

Kelly’s cheeks puffed out in a pout as her face flushed bright red, “I’m still your boss, you know, so don’t go making fun of me unless you would like to be sent home without your paycheck!”

That finally broke the tension that had been hanging over the room like a dark cloud, the humans laughing while Celestia managed to hold back her humor behind a raised hoof. Luna looked slightly lost until Shadow passed on what had been said by the two, her face lighting up in a smile as she chuckled at the folly of the former human and her teammates.

Celestia turned to face the rest of the team as she lowered her hoof again, her serious expression catching the attention of everyone as she spoke in careful but clear English, “There is one other thing you need to know. Due to his actions and the possible results, Blueblood has been stripped of his title as Prince and disowned from the royal family. He must serve the one he harmed for a total of five years before he can earn back his lands and wealth, although he will never again stand beside us as royalty. We did not ask you because we thought it would be a sign of our sincerity that we pass judgement on the guilty party ourselves.” Her gaze traveled to the gob-smacked, wide-eyed mare that sat on the bed, her lips curling slightly as she continued, “He will teach you our language, with the help of our castle staff, as well as aid in your recovery while you adjust to your new body. He will also need to learn your language, as he will be charged with going everywhere you do until his punishment has been served.”

A slightly humorous glint entered the alicorn’s eyes as Kelly flopped back on the bed, her jaw working soundlessly as Celestia and Luna shared a knowing look.

Ambassador Lang had remained silent through the entire conversation, although he chose to speak at that moment, and with a contemplative expression as he carefully folded his arms over his chest, “So instead of losing a team member, we have instead gained an indentured servant for a minimum of five years, as well as the aid of your staff in both learning your language and forging relations with the other species of this world.” A shrug folded his shoulders as he lowered his arms and turned to face Lieutenant Bellwood, “Not all that bad considering what the opposing options were at the time.”

The armored woman nodded, her visor hiding her expression as she walked over to her commanding officer and took up post at his side. Will simply rolled his eyes before turning back to Kelly, his lips curled into a shit-eating grin as he spoke, “So, are you going to get dressed or are you going to go au natural like the rest of the ponies?”

Kelly froze at the young man’s words, her face flushing all the way up to her ears as she pulled the sheets over her body and hid under the protective cloth, “Get out! I’m not decent!”

But there isn’t anything to hide. Shadow mused as the other humans filed out of the room, the good-natured humor being passed around falling flat on the ponies and mechanical hound as they were left alone in the room, Humans can be so strange.

“I think that is our cue to leave as well, sister.” Celestia added as she returned to speaking Equish, “It has been a trying morning, and I can tell it will only get more difficult as the day passes.”

Luna let out a huge yawn as she nodded her agreement, “Verily, sister. Our bed calls to us and we shall heed its call for the rest of the morn. We shall join thee at dinner as we usually do and shall be prepared to assist our guests in any way they see fit. After the disaster that yesterday turned out to be, I think we can all say it will be good to move on to more mundane things.”

“You know as well as I do that things are never mundane around here.” Celestia countered as the sisters exited the room, leaving Shadow and the two guards alone with Kelly.

The mare in question was still hiding under the sheets, her ears having poked out from under the cloth to test the room for the presence of the others before her head finally emerged.

Shadow chuckled as he walked up to the bedside, slowly placing a paw over Kelly’s hoof as he spoke, “You do know there isn’t anything to hide under clothing, right?”

The glare that she sent him could have melted orbital alloy, “Shut up. I’m still trying to get used to being in a different body. Please don’t ask me to abandon all pretense of my human upbringing just because it doesn’t make logical sense.” She sighed as Lieutenant Bellwood chuckled inside her helm, the glare the mare sent her way passing over like a buzzing fly before the unicorn turned her attention back to Shadow, “I know this isn’t going to be easy, but after all that’s happened, I just want to pass out and pretend for a little while that none of this is real and that I’m just doped up on pain medication.”

While Shadow couldn’t fully understand her reasoning, he could sense the fatigue and stress affecting the mare before him, if the readings he was getting from her vitals were anything to go by. So, he simply nodded, allowing the former human to fall back into her pillow and fall asleep as he resumed his vigil over her. Goodwill and Bellwood stood at the ready should anything try to harm their charge, but in that moment, Shadow paid them little mind. The sun traveled across the sky and for a time there was peace in their little room, although it wasn’t going to last forever, especially when the door slammed open, revealing none other than the former prince Blueblood in the opening.

“I have come to pledge my service to the human.” He growled out, either not noticing the weapons pointed at him or not caring, “Where is she so that I may begin this farce of a punishment?”

Shadow interposed himself between the unicorn and the bed, his optics locking with the stallion’s as he growled deep in his throat, “Watch what you say and do in here. We will not allow you to harm her any further than you already have. She is asleep right now, so go do something else until she is awake.”

Blueblood’s expression shifted to one of bored annoyance, “Even for a machine as advanced as yourself, you still know nothing. I HAVE NO PLACE TO GO OTHER THAN HERE!! That creature ruined my life, took everything that was rightfully mine, and now she has the audacity to sleep while I am standing ready to,” he shook for a moment, as if his words were revolting to even speak, “to serve her as she needs? I will not stand by and be insulted like this, now move out of my way!”

He got all of about two steps past Shadow before his eyes locked on the unconscious mare in the bed, who had somehow not awoken during the stallion’s shouting. His jaw dropped open and his hooves ground to a halt on the floor, his eyes widening as he took in Dr. Kelly’s new form.

“What trickery is this?” He growled out, turning back to Shadow as he pointed at the bed with a hoof, “Where is the creature that I am charged with serving?”

“You are looking at her.” Shadow replied as he stepped up to the bedside, his gaze leveling on the former prince as the stallion tried and failed to speak, “The injuries that you inflicted were so severe that there was no choice but to change her into a pony to save her life. Congratulations, you managed to strip something far more important from her than money or land. You, in your cowardice and stupidity, managed to strip her of her very species! So, gripe and grumble all you want, but if I ever hear you talking down to Dr. Kelly or acting against her in any way. I swear that I will make sure you never see the inside of a court room. I will personally see to it that the last thing you see is my claws and teeth ripping your ungrateful body to pieces. Am I making myself clear?”

The poor stallion was petrified, that much Shadow could tell at a glance, although as his gaze shifted to Kelly’s sleeping form, his fear was pushed aside by something else. It took a moment for Shadow to place the light that had filled the unicorn’s eyes, but as he spoke, that understanding solidified into cold certainty.

“I have paid a hefty price for what I have done, but I swear to you here and now. I will never harm that mare in any way so long as I live. I have been a fool for long enough and now it has cost me everything I once held dear.” A long sigh escaped Blueblood as he averted his gaze to the floor, “I am nothing now without my title and wealth, so, I guess now is as good a time to start over as any. I will do my best to serve her and the rest of her team until I am no longer needed, and in that time, I hope that you can bring yourself to forgive me for what has happened.”

Shadow doubted Blueblood actually meant the words he had said, as given by the shift in his heart rate as he had spoken, although there had been a measure of weight to the stallion’s words towards the end. Maybe he wasn’t such as bad pony after all, but until he saw evidence to back up the unicorn’s words, Shadow would keep a close eye on him to make sure there wasn’t any funny business. Desperation could lead beings to do stupid things, and Shadow wasn’t fool enough to believe that Blueblood wouldn’t try something in the time he had to serve the humans. Time would tell if he had truly meant what he had said, but for the moment, Shadow wasn’t going to leave the two unicorns alone, just in case.

The sun worked its way across the horizon, the stallion and mechanical hound standing side by side while the two guards stood on the other side of the room. Shadow didn’t need to rest for extended periods, so he allowed Blueblood to fall sleep at his side, curled up on the hard floor like a dog as he drooled on the tile. Already there had been trouble, and the two ponies hadn’t even formally met yet. If this was anything like how the near future was going to go, then Shadow dreaded how things would move forward once the international summit began.

…Power core: 93%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 10:22:31:45…44…43…42…

Author's Note

Well how about that, I managed to get another chapter out in less than a week!! Cheers all around and a cookie for everypony! Anyways, hope you all enjoyed the newest instalment of this little number, and I wish to know what you all thought of the interactions between the ponies and the humans. Are they headed towards peace, or gearing up for war? Find out next time as we get into the lead-up to the international summit, with some adorable learning to walk scenes for added flavor.

As usual, a shout out to my Patron Earthpatriot117 for his continued support. Thanks a million for the help, ever little bit goes towards paying for my continued college career and towards the continuation of my stories. If anypony else wishes to pledge then there is a link on my author page for you to use.

Other than that, hope you are all having a fatastic Spring Break, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

19 - Starting Again

Shadow stayed up the entire night, watching over the slumbering ponies while Bellwood and Goodwill took turns nodding off and rousing their partner for the next watch. Yet the peace that had settled over the room could only last so long, with the morning light of dawn slowly bringing its residents back from the realm of dreams. It was Kelly who awoke first, her muzzle splitting in a huge yawn as she rolled over a couple times, as if trying to escape the sunbeams that were forcing her from her sleep. Finally, with a muttered grumble that might or might not have contained a few choice curses, the newly minted unicorn lifted her head and looked around the room, her bleary eyes taking in her teammates and Shadow before falling on the less than flattering form of Blueblood. In an instant, her body jumped to fully alert, Shadow’s sensors picking up a rapid increase in her heart rate and breathing as her much larger eyes widened.

“What is he doing here?” She hissed as her gaze locked onto Shadow, her voice kept low so as not to wake the drooling stallion.

“He came to pledge his service to you last night,” Shadow replied evenly, “but you were already asleep, so I prevented him from disturbing you.”

This seemed to take Dr. Kelly back for a moment, although her confusion only lasted for a second before her gaze returned to the former noble, “Well tell him that I don’t want him to be in here. I’ve barely gotten used to being in this new body and now I have to deal with an ex-prince acting as my personal servant? No thank you, I have enough headaches as it is.”

“I’m afraid that might be harder than you think.” Shadow retorted, “Blueblood stated something along the lines of there being nowhere else for him to go because of his stripped title and lands. He is literally homeless and without a coin to his name, so if you throw him out, he’ll just end up sitting in the hallway until you give him someplace else to stay.”

Kelly’s eyes closed as a sigh escaped her lips, a hoof managing to find its way to the bridge of her muzzle as she presumably fought back an oncoming headache, “Why do these things always happen to me?” Another sigh sounded out before she lowered her hoof and opened her eyes, “Fine, he can stay, but if he tries anything, I’m going to make sure he hits every single step on the way out the door.”

“Oh, you won’t have to worry about that, Doctor,” Lieutenant Bellwood stated with a smile in her voice, “the Captain and I will be sure to give him the boot if he does anything unprofessional or tries to bring you any harm.” Her weapon hummed with energy as the magnets began to charge within the mass driver, “If he does anything more than look at you wrong then I’m going to pump him full of holes until there’s nothing left but a puddle.”

Apparently, the hum of the guard’s weapon was enough to awaken the stallion from his slumber, his back creaking in several places as he forced himself into a standing position. His mane was a mess and hung over his face as his bleary eyes slowly traveled across the room, slowly locking onto the humming weapon on the other side of the room.

“Do you mind?” His tone was less than polite as he stumbled over to Bellwood, his eyes locked onto the rifle as his ears folded against his head, “Some ponies are trying to sleep, and that infernal humming is preventing me from getting my much-needed beauty rest.”

Bellwood glanced at Shadow for a translation, so he simply replied with, “He wants you to power down your weapon. Apparently, the magnets are making it hard for him to sleep.”

Bellwood nodded, shutting down her weapon as Blueblood nodded, although his attention was quickly dragged to the bed when Kelly cleared her throat. The former prince’s gaze was heated enough to make the former human flinch, although a not-so-subtle growl from Shadow quickly shut down any thoughts Blueblood might have had of harming Kelly.

A roll of his eyes and a sigh helped the stallion to calm himself before walking up to the bedside, allowing Shadow to step between them but keeping his eyes locked on Dr. Kelly as he spoke, “It would seem that there are many things that I will have to get used to in my new life.” Blueblood straightened his posture and his jacket before fixing his mane with a burst of magic, “First of all, I believe that there is the matter of our language to discuss, given I must teach you and your kind how to converse in proper Equish.”

He glanced at Shadow as the mechanical wolf repeated the stallion’s words to Dr. Kelly, the mare nodding in agreement before turning her attention back to Blueblood, “That would be acceptable, although I think the issue of my mobility takes priority over any language lessons. I can’t very well act as an ambassador if I can’t walk, now can I?”

Blueblood sputtered for a moment, his expression one of disdain as he stepped back a few paces, “Then you can learn the specifics of how to walk with the help of your mechanical monstrosity. I will not stoop so low as to teach something that even foals know how to do.”

“Need I remind you that you have been tasked to help Dr. Kelly in any way she requires, no matter what it may be?" Shadow countered as Blueblood turned to leave, “Your punishment was handed down by Princess Celestia herself in order to save you from the executioner’s block. Don’t think for a minute we expect you to enjoy this in any way, but that does not excuse you from having a duty to perform. Now stop acting like an entitled brat, because you don’t have anything to back up that pretentious attitude anymore. Sit down, shut up, and help me teach Dr. Kelly how to walk.”

Blueblood ground his teeth together for several seconds before snorting in frustration, his tail lashing from side to side as he turned back to face Shadow and Kelly. His murderous glare did nothing to faze the mechanical hound as the smaller being stomped his way up to the bedside, causing even Dr. Kelly to roll her eyes at his childish behavior.

“And what was all that about?” Kelly asked as Blueblood sat down next to the bed with Shadow on his right.

“Blueblood was trying to throw his non-existent weight around until I reminded him what Princess Celestia had tasked him with.” Shadow replied, “He was talking about helping a pony learn to walk as being beneath him, so I had to give him a little encouragement.”

A snorted laugh escaped Kelly’s muzzle as she turned her attention to the scowling stallion before her, “More like threatened him with treason if what I know about the Princess’s decree is accurate.” She glanced down at the sheets covering her body, a blush overcoming her cheeks as she replied, “Could you make him turn around please? I would like to get off the bed and I’m not sure how this new body of mine works when it comes to private parts.”

Captain Goodwill simply grunted in agreement as he marched over to the door, grabbing a protesting Blueblood by the scruff of his neck and dragging the poor stallion out of the room while Bellwood tried to hide her laughter behind a string of coughs. There was the sound of a brief scuffle outside the door, but it was quickly brought to a halt as the meaty crack of metal on bone reached those still inside the room.

Goodwill poked his head through the door, “Blueblood is contained so you’re good to go. Please continue as you were.”

Kelly glanced at Bellwood, “Did he really just knock out the poor guy with his rifle?”

Bellwood nodded in return, “He probably wanted to keep him out of trouble so you can get used to moving around without that asshat getting in the way. He might have been some help, but I’m pretty sure Shadow over here is going to be a much better teacher than that pony ever could be.”

Kelly smiled as she finally pulled back the sheets, a deep blush overcoming her features as she pushed herself over to the edge of the bed and glanced at the floor below. Shadow could detect Kelly’s nervousness, so he stepped up to the side of the bed and offered her a paw for support.

“Thank you, Shadow.” Kelly smiled in gratitude as she placed a hoof over his paw, her hind legs slipping off of the bedside as her weight began to carry her forward.

With a slight yelp and the clop of hooves on tile, Kelly was on the floor and standing on her hind hooves, although the vast majority of her weight was settled on her hind legs as she struggled to stand upright. Instinct fought with biology as Kelly did her best to keep her balance, but ultimately, she fell forward, her hoof slipping from Shadow’s grip as she caught herself with her forelegs. For a moment Kelly simply stood there, her center of gravity shifting to her new quadrupedal stance as her head lifted up to a vertical orientation. Her ears shifted back and forth as she turned her head to look over her shoulder, her eyes flickering from one part of her body to the next as her mind got used to her new stance.

“Well, this feels really weird.” She muttered to herself as she glanced down at her hooves, “It’s like I’m standing on my hands and toes, but my back isn’t bending the way I expect it to.” Her head turned once again to look over her shoulder, “And I know my neck never bent this far as a human.”

“Try taking a step or two,” Shadow encouraged, “I’ll guide you if you get stuck.”

Kelly nodded, her front hooves shifting nervously for a second as she muttered under her breath. Finally, her left front hoof stepped forward, her right following soon after. Yet as she tried to move her left hind hoof, her legs knocked against each other, causing the mare to stumble as Shadow shifted forward to catch her.

“Ugh, this is harder than it looks.” Kelly growled as she got her legs in order, “How do you keep track of them all?”

“I was programmed to be quadrupedal, so I don’t have a frame of reference,” Shadow replied, “although I can go through the steps if that would help?”

“Please do,” Kelly replied, “I need to have a step by step system if I’m ever going to get this right.”

Shadow took a moment to go through his motor functions, cataloging the steps for basic walking as he directed Dr. Kelly, “The steps are different for the three forms of locomotion your body is designed to perform, but I think for now all you need to know is how to walk.”

Kelly nodded, “Yeah, that might be for the best. I don’t fancy running headlong into a wall thank you very much.”

“First, you need to pick up your hind left leg and step forward,” Shadow nosed the corresponding leg with his muzzle as Kelly watched him over her shoulder, “then as you bring it down, pick up your front leg on the same side and step with it.” Kelly’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she tried to follow Shadow’s steps, her balance faltering for a moment before the mechanical hound pressed his side against hers, “Don’t try to move the front leg until you get your back leg in contact with the ground. At no point should any two legs be off the ground at the same time.”

Kelly nodded as a bead of sweat began to run down her face, her head bent down so she could watch her legs move as Shadow guided her through another step, “Once the front left leg touches the ground, pick up your hind right leg and then do the same thing you did on the left. Once your front right leg touches the ground, your hind left leg should start the cycle over again.”

Kelly stumbled through another ten minutes of missed steps and hit her face a time or two when Shadow wasn’t fast enough to catch her. Yet she never gave up and soon enough she was managing to walk several steps at a time without stumbling or getting her timing messed up.

“Great job, Doctor!” Bellwood cheered as Kelly managed to walk an entire lap of the room without falling, although the guard’s sudden outburst managed to throw off what little concentration Kelly had managed to create, causing the unicorn to fall flat on her face just as Goodwill opened the door to stick his head in.

The man paused for a moment upon seeing Kelly on her face with her flank high in the air, a chuckle managing to escape him before he called out, “The Princesses and the rest of the team are here to see you. Shall I let them in, or do you need a moment?”

Kelly jumped to her hooves so quickly Shadow nearly missed it, although his assistance wasn’t required as the unicorn turned to face the doorway, “Sure, go ahead, Captain. No need to keep them waiting on my account.”

Goodwill nodded, retracting his head before pushing the door open, allowing Princess Luna and Celestia to enter as the rest of the humans followed behind. Blueblood attempted to interject himself as well, but a quick grab from behind dragged him free of the doorway once again as Goodwill closed the door, the stallion’s muffled protests falling silent a moment later as the hum of the Captain’s rifle could be heard through the wooden barrier.

Celestia smiled as she met Kelly’s eyes, her gaze traveling over the smaller mare as she glanced between the unicorn and Shadow, “I take it she has been learning to move about in our absence?”

Shadow nodded as Kelly rubbed a foreleg with her other hoof, “It’s not been easy, but I’m slowly getting the hang of it, Princess.” Kelly’s gaze traveled upwards as she met Celestia’s gaze, “I never really realized how tiny ponies are compared to you. I used to be able to look you in the eye without having to tilt my head.”

To the surprise of everyone, Luna stepped forward with a smile as she lowered her head to Kelly’s level, “It would not surprise us in the least that you feel that way. After all, we are abnormally tall for our kind, although we weren’t always this grand in stature. Would you believe me if I told you that Celestia and I used to be the same size as any other pony?”
The royal sisters shared a quick laugh at the dumbfounded expressions that followed Luna’s words, “It would seem your rapid learning has confused our guests, dear sister.” Celestia managed to say through a smile.

“Indeed, sister,” the lunar alicorn replied, “although it is to be expected. Most creatures take months if not years to learn a new language. I guess having the gifts of longevity are worth it sometimes.”

“So, I take it you both learn languages quickly due to your advanced age?” Lang asked, “If you’ll pardon my rudeness saying so, Your Highnesses.”

Luna smirked as she glanced up at Celestia, “Hear that, sister? The ambassador called us old.”

“And to our faces, as well.” Celestia added, “Whatever shall we do in the presence of this grave accusation?”

Both mares tittered as Lang blushed and straightened his tie, “Oh forgive us for our fun, Ambassador,” Luna said as she and Celestia got themselves under control, “it is rare that we get to have fun without our subjects believing they have committed some terrible crime.”

“Yes, we simply haven’t had somepony state it in such frank terms before,” Celestia managed to add through her smile, “but to answer your question, we do learn languages faster due to our long lives. We have been around for the creation of most of the modern languages, or at least I have, although Luna was there when the three tribes first learned to speak the same language instead of separate ones for each tribe.”

“Indeed,” Luna replied, “’twas a rather tumultuous time and we struggled to find common ground between the three tribes for years before an agreement was settled upon.” A smirk found its way to the younger alicorn’s face as she turned her gaze on the humans, “Compared to that, learning a new language that has so much in common with our own is trivial. ‘Tis more of a matter of learning new sounds than shaping an entirely new system.”

“Well, I can’t really argue with that logic,” Will said as he tipped his hat upwards, “although that makes me feel a bit jealous given my skills are all centered around languages. It took me several weeks to get a handle on yours and that was barely enough to get through the basics.”

“Not every creature has the benefit of several millennia of experiences to go off of,” Luna countered, “do not downplay your own abilities just because we have several hundred years more to work with.”

“So, how’s the walking coming along, Doc?” Will’s shift of subject was drastic enough it caught the unicorn by surprise, although she managed to recover easily enough.

“I’m managing, for the most part anyway.” She replied, “I still trip over my own feet every fourth step but I’m getting better.”

“Hooves, dear,” Celestia corrected, “you have hooves now that you are a pony.”

Kelly grunted but acknowledged the point, “The main thing that I can’t seem to get over is the fact that ponies walk around naked.” A blush came over her cheeks as she seemed to realize that everyone was well aware of said fact, “I know my tail keeps things hidden but I still feel really weird having nothing on except my fur. It’s kind of uncomfortable, actually.”

“We can look into having the royal seamstress make something for you to wear.” Celestia said with a kind smile, “In the meantime, Luna and I still have your old clothing in storage. The doctors had to cut off the ones that you were wearing at the time of the accident, but the ones in your room were untouched. We might be able to create something that will work in the interim if you would like.”

Kelly’s face lit up in a brilliant smile, “Oh yes please! And I know just the piece that will work. If it’s not too much trouble, could you grab my lab coat? I think that will work the best with my new body type if we can shrink it down a bit.”

Luna and Celestia shared a knowing look before turning back to Kelly, “Why not ask your newest teammate to get it?” Luna asked, “After all, is he not tasked with helping you in any way he can? I think grabbing a lab coat would be a trivial task to complete.”

The smaller mare seemed rather uncomfortable with the idea, but a soft nudge from Shadow’s muzzle against her shoulder seemed to harden her resolve. Kelly took a deep breath and let it out in a long-suffering sigh, “I’m never going to get used to this. Alright, I’ll ask him to get it for me.”

Nodding, Celestia opened the door with her magic, revealing Blueblood as he stumbled into the room from his position leaning against the doorway.

Goodwill simply shook his head at the stallion’s antics as he leaned over to glance at the others, “Need something?”
“No thanks, we were just going to give Blueblood his first task as our newest team member.” Kelly replied, “Shadow, would you mind translating for me?”

Shadow nodded, passing on the mare’s message as Blueblood managed to get his hooves under him. Yet as Kelly’s words registered in the stallion’s mind, his expression morphed with indignation.

“I am not some simple serving mare to come and go as you please.” His voice was near to a growl until he caught the narrowed gazes of both royal sisters, “Um, I mean, right away, I’ll be sure to have it pressed and clean before I bring it along.” A bead of sweat ran down his face as the alicorns’ gazes flickered towards the door, “Well, I, um, I’ll be on my way now. I shall return as quickly as I am able.”

With that, Blueblood made a hasty retreat, leaving Celestia and Luna to sigh as they returned their attention to the others, “Don’t mind him,” Luna clarified, “it’s going to take a while before he gets over his pompous attitude, or at least I would hope as such.”

“He has had years to build his ego, sister,” Celestia interjected, “it will take more than a few errands to make him give up his selfish ways. Although I think serving as an aide to the humans for several years might be just enough to get him to change.”

“Let us hope so, for their sanity if nothing else.” Luna agreed.

“So, while we wait for our former nephew to return,” Celestia shifted her attention back to Kelly, “is there anything you would like to ask of us? I’m certain there are things you would like to know, now that you are a unicorn.”

“When can I learn to use the energy field?” Was her immediate response, “I need to be able to help my team and keep Shadow in top performance as soon as possible.”

“While simple levitation is fairly easy to master,” Luna lit her horn and folded the sheets back where they belonged, “actual spellcasting takes years to learn, and even then, there may be spells that will never be within your reach.”

“Unicorns have an innate limit to how much magic they can use,” Celestia explained as Kelly’s face fell, “as well as an affinity for whatever their special talent ends up being. For example, a unicorn that is skilled in map-making may not ever have the strength to teleport but will have the fine manipulation to wield a dozen quills at a time in order to create what is in their minds.”

“The same can be said for some of the ponies in our military,” Luna added, “Shining Armor is one of the most powerful soldiers we have in our ranks, and yet his skills are almost entirely dedicated to creating shields. He would never have the skill to create a fireball or other offensive spells because his special talent is so dedicated to defense. Does anything we are saying make sense to you?”

Kelly nodded, although her eyes were drawn to the marks on the royals’ flanks, her gaze shifting back to her own bare fur before once again facing the alicorns, “So what exactly is a special talent? I know that your cutie marks, still think that’s a silly name, represent what a pony is skilled in or takes great passion in doing, but how do you go about earning such a thing?”

The sisters shared a laugh as they glanced at their own marks, “That is a mystery even we do not have the answer to.” Celestia replied, “Cutie mark magic is some of the oldest and most mysterious of all magic, and it is still mostly unknown how a pony earns their mark or what happens after they do.”

“Most ponies earn their marks during their formative years,” Luna tapped her chin with a hoof as her gaze traveled towards the ceiling, “if I remember correctly it usually happens right around the beginning of their first heat cycle, for the fillies at least. Yet there have been cases of ‘blank flank’ adults in the past, although it is very rare.”

“The point is,” Celestia said, “we do not know how or when you might earn your mark, although given your affinity for the sciences and your dedication to your team, I think you will find that your mark will come sooner than you think. In the meantime, try your best to learn as much as you can, and we shall do everything in our power to help you along the way.” Celestia stepped forward and placed a hoof on Kelly’s shoulder, the alicorn’s smile lighting up the room as she continued in a softer tone, “We are all in this together, so do what you can and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.”

Kelly nodded, either too stunned or too awed to reply as Celestia and Luna turned to leave.

“We shall return in a moment to help you with your clothing.” Luna called out as she followed Celestia through the door, “We will be waiting in the hall until Blueblood returns. Take some time to reconnect with your team and remember to practice your walking.”

“Alright mom,” Kelly replied with a sarcastic smile, her words catching Luna off guard for a moment before the lunar princess returned the smile and closed the door with her navy magic.

Silence fell over the room for a moment, everyone seemingly content to let the moment last. However, the silence was pushed aside as Will leaned against the wall, his grin catching the attention of everyone else as he spoke to Kelly in a suggestive tone, “So, not going to go nude like the natives, eh? Too bad, I was wondering what it would be like to see you fumble around like an idiot, flashing everyone you walked past when your tail moved out of the way.”

Kelly’s face turned a startling shade of red as her cheeks puffed out in an adorable way, “Watch it, Wilcox. I still sign your pay checks, so you’d better not mess with me.”

Will simply chuckled, walking up and ruffling the mare’s mane with one hand, dodging the pawing motion of Kelly’s forehooves as she tried to push him away. Unfortunately, the lack of support her motion caused left the unicorn with nothing to hold up her front half, her body tipping forward before she could stop herself. Her face impacted the floor with a thud and a muffled curse, causing the others to stiffen as Bellwood stepped forward to help.

Kelly waved off the guard as she pushed herself to her hooves again, rubbing her muzzle with a hoof as she glared at Will, “I’m going to get you for that one later, mark my words, Henry.”

The cowboy apparently knew he had found himself in deep water, so he simply nodded and hid behind the brim of his hat as Bellwood helped Kelly back to the bed. The mare managed to climb onto the mattress with some assistance, although it did nothing to hide the blush that covered her face as the other woman pulled the covers back and tucked her in.

“I feel like I’m a kid again,” Kelly muttered as Bellwood stepped back, “and it’s not a good feeling.”

“Chin up, Doctor,” Lang stated calmly as the energy bled out of the room, “I’m certain you’ll be back in shape in no time at all. Just keep trying and we shall do whatever we can to help. Like the Princesses said, we are all in this together, so it would be stupid of us not to do whatever is necessary to get you back on your feet, er, hooves.”

Kelly smiled as she let out a huge yawn, ‘Thank you Ambassador, although I think our biggest challenge is going to be explaining my new body to the boys back home.” A cringe forced its way onto her face for a moment before it disappeared, “Not something I’m looking forward to.”

“Hey, you let us handle that mess,” Will finally seemed to have regained his voice, “you just focus on being the best unicorn you can be. I’m certain the rest of the guys will, pff, manage to,” he never got the rest out as he fell back in a fit of laughter, his peals of mirth echoing around the room as Kelly did her best to imitate a tomato.

Lang, being the professional that he was, manage to hide his own laughter behind a hand, although his shaking shoulders gave him away as the rest of the team met the same fate.

Finally, Will managed to force the rest of his words out through his laughs, “Y-You look like a little g-girl’s stuffed toy! I-I’m sorry b-but you can’t expect me t-to take you seriously when you h-have the same cute little angry face as a p-puppy!”

Shadow was left in the dark at what was precisely so funny as the rest of the humans cracked their own jokes at Kelly, who was now hiding under the sheets as her vibrant red ears poked up from under the covers. Finally, the group managed to calm back down, just in time for Luna to stick her head in through the door.

“Blueblood has returned with your clothing.” She either didn’t care about or chose not to acknowledge the beet red unicorn on the bed, “Shall we remedy the garment situation, or do you have some more jokes to make about Doctor Kelly’s appearance?”

A collection of shaking heads was her answer, followed by Luna pushing the door open the rest of the way, allowing Celestia and Blueblood to enter before closing the door behind her. With so many beings in the room, it was getting a bit crowded, although none of them seemed to mind as Celestia levitated Kelly’s old lab coat over to the bed.

“Would you mind coming out of there so we can fit your coat?” Celestia asked in a calm but forceful tone.

Kelly immediately shifted the covers off of her body, allowing Celestia to help her fit the oversized white garment over her body as the alicorn closed the buttons with small tweaks of magic. Kelly stood up and managed not to trip on the hanging cloth that was nearly double her size, although that was quickly fixed as Celestia’s horn began to glow. Before their eyes, the lab coat began to shrink, morphing bit by bit as it changed to fit against Kelly’s new frame. Finally, as Celestia’s horn dimmed, the unicorn turned around in a slow circle to get a look at herself.

“Amazing!” Kelly gasped as she finished her self-inspection, “It’s like it was made this way from the beginning!”

The lab coat, once hanging down to the mattress, had shrunk until the buttons ran down the center of Kelly’s belly, coming to a stop just before the curve of her thighs while the twin coattails hung over her flanks on either side of her tail. Her back was completely covered while her chest was left open to the air with the top two buttons undone, allowing for ease of movement for her front legs as the rolled sleeve cuffs ended just before her front hooves. All and all, it fit her new body like a glove, and Shadow was summarily impressed by the amount of energy it had taken to shift the material in such a manner. Either Celestia was just that skilled, or she had used more power than Shadow had been able to detect in order to change Kelly’s clothing.

Blueblood was the only one who wasn’t really impressed by the display, although he wisely kept his mouth shut as the others added in their two cents about Kelly’s new look. Shadow kept an optic on the stallion as he marched out of the room, sitting down outside the door before closing the wooden barrier with his magic. Shadow caught Celestia and Luna watching the retreating unicorn before sharing a look between themselves. Shadow wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw a hint of worry flash through the alicorns’ eyes before they returned their gazes to the gathered humans and mare. One thing was for sure, whether Dr. Kelly was able to get around on her own or not, their challenges had only just begun. And with the international summit just a few days away, things were going to get really interesting really quick, whether they were ready for it or not.

…Power core: 91%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 10:09:28:39…38…37…36…

Author's Note

Well, here we go again. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter so please leave a comment or two in the towel section below if you have something you would like to point out. Other than that, I will be working on the next chapter as soon as I am able, although it might be a while because of my rather busy work schedule.

Also, say hello to my Patrons WuBzY and Earthpatriot117, who have continued to support me even through these slower patches. Big thanks to both of you guys and it is my hope that others will join your ranks at some point.

Bit of a throw out for my readers, my Patreon posts chapters for all of my books five days early if you have the ability to support the cause, as well as other bonuses for higher tiers. Please check out my Patreon Page if you have the time. I'm certain there is a tier for everypony no matter what situation you may be in.

Other than that, I'll see you next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

20 - Unleash the Magic

The following day started off rather mundane compared to the excitement from the previous three, although that was mostly due to the fact that Dr. Kelly had to learn all of the fine details that came with caring for her new body and how it differed from her old one. At her own request, every male present on the team as well as within the castle staff was banned from entering her room while one of the nurses explained the finer details of female pony biology. The only exception to this rule was Bellwood, who was practically glued to the unicorn’s hip after everything that had happened.

Shadow could tell that the two females had grown closer over the past few days, although he discovered that frustration was an emotion he was able to generate when he found out that he wasn’t allowed in the room either during the teaching process. Given one of his primary directives was to learn as much as he could from any source, it seemed that his newly awakened consciousness had transferred that directive into a powerful sense of curiosity, one that was practically wailing in despair at the lost opportunity to learn more about pony biology. He had read through several books that outlined the subject in great detail back at Twilight’s library, but that would never compare to being taught the subject by an expert in the field.

Thus, since everyone who wasn’t a mare or woman was barred from entering the girl’s private quarters under penalty of slow and painful death (Bellwood’s exact words), Shadow was left with very little to do during the first half of the day. He quickly found out that boredom was another emotion he wasn’t very fond of as he wandered around the castle hallways, passing by members of the team at odd intervals but never really having much to say. Princess Celestia had stated that the diplomatic talks couldn’t happen until the other races’ representatives arrived, so that left the humans and cybernetic hound with little to do other than explore their current residence.

It was after the entire group had met up for the midday meal that a new problem presented itself, yet it was only made clear to the non-natives after both princesses explained the situation. Due to the novelty of ‘magic’, and the fact that Dr. Kelly had never had the ability to move things with her mind, no one on the team thought it was weird for her to be eating straight from her plate and bypassing any form of silverware.

This, apparently, clued in both royals that there was another aspect of Kelly’s new form that had to be explained, and in this case, taught by someone more skilled in the art than a nurse. Knowledgeable in their fields as they might have been, medical knowhow does not a good magic teacher make, at least according to Celestia.

And so, Shadow’s boredom was quickly expunged from his systems as he followed the royal sisters towards a section of the castle he hadn’t seen yet. Bellwood and Dr. Kelly walked along beside him while the rest of the team brought up the rear, the soft mutterings of excited theorizing being passed from being to being as they wondered aloud what they were going to see. The only one who seemed to have no investment in the happenings around him was Blueblood, although that wasn’t much of a surprise given his prior learning in manipulating the planet’s energy field. Even though she normally would have been sleeping at this hour, Princess Luna had agreed to supervise in case anything happened, although given Princess Celestia was going to be acting as Kelly’s personal tutor, there was little to worry about concerning wayward spells. Even so, none of the castle staff had been permitted to join them and all but a duo of guards had been dismissed from their posts as the group came to the end of the hallway. The two unicorn stallions would prevent anyone from entering during the lesson, as well as act as a final wall of defense between the castle proper and whatever Dr. Kelly might create.

The entrance was blocked by a plain set of double doors, although given the heavy metal reinforcements that covered most of the available space on each, Shadow surmised that this area was used for the more dangerous levels of magic use. This did little to alleviate the nervous energy that had been spinning in his processors since Princess Celestia had suggested magic lessons, although he figured that was more due to the unknown of what Dr. Kelly was capable of and less on if the royal sisters could handle it.

The guards took up posts on either side of the doors as Celestia opened them with her telekinetic grip, the hinges squeaking horribly as the slabs of wood and iron swung open.

Luna winced as the piercing sound finally stopped, “Shouldn’t this part of the castle be maintained by the staff? Why is this door so horribly cared for?”

“Because this door leads to one of the most secure testing areas in the entire castle.” Celestia replied, “Nopony without my direct authorization is allowed inside because this is where I do my own magic research. Needless to say,” she closed the doors behind their group with several clicks as locking mechanisms engaged, “I like to keep those who are not prepared from getting in and trying to cast unfinished spells.”

Shadow inspected the space around him as the others digested this new information, cataloguing several work benches piled high with papers and other magical equipment. In the center of the rather expansive area, was an intricate metal inlay that covered almost the entire floor. Swirls and patterns had been set into the stone with careful precision, the bronze nearly glowing in the dim light as the torches along the walls came to life.

Celestia beckoned for Kelly to follow her, while Luna ignited her horn and created a semi-transparent wall of energy between the rest of the group and the two mares as they entered the outer edge of the magic circle. As soon as Celestia’s hooves crossed the threshold, the bronze began to glow with a bright golden light, spreading out from her point of entry until the entire inlay shined. Dr. Kelly only hesitated for a moment before joining the larger mare, her hooves making small flashes of blue light whenever they came into contact with the array. The two mares continued until Celestia turned around in the center of the circle, motioning for Dr. Kelly to do the same.

“This circle was designed to contain large amounts of magic should a spell become unstable.” Celestia explained, “While it is rare in adult ponies, there is the possibility of a magic flare due to the unique status of your body and its magic pathways.” Seeing Dr. Kelly’s confusion, Celestia elaborated, “The basic premise behind the pathways is as follows, your nervous system controls your muscles and other physical functions while your magical pathways act in turn to channel the magic energy from your core to the rest of your body. These pathways normally grow in size and strength over time as a pony ages, resulting in flares when they expand faster than normal. Due to the fact that your body has never channeled magic, it is entirely possible that you will have a larger than normal flare upon unlocking your magic potential.”

The news seemed to make Dr. Kelly even more nervous as Shadow detected a sharp increase in her heart rate and breathing, although she remained outwardly calm, “So these flares, they’re normal for a pony to experience?”

Celestia nodded, “Foals, especially unicorn foals, will usually go through at least one flare in their early years, although it is uncommon for anything serious to occur during or after. However, wild magic such as what is created in a flare can be highly unpredictable, so any spells that are cast during that time will have completely unknown effects. My student, Twilight Sparkle, transformed her parents and several of my staff into potted plants during her entrance exam for my school, although given her rare ability and power that was more of an isolated case.”

The other members of the group were paying close attention as Celestia detailed what the plan was going to be, even Blueblood was following along, his ears turned fully forward to better catch his former relative’s words. All in all the plan was a simple one, Celestia would use her magic to unlock the power inside Kelly’s new body, then remove herself from the circle while her body adjusted to it. If everything went to plan, Dr. Kelly would sit there and get used to her newfound abilities while Celestia guided from the sidelines. If something went wrong, and Shadow’s calculations deemed it a higher possibility with each passing moment, then the circle would contain the flare and the excess magic that would come off of Dr. Kelly in order to prevent any dangerous spells from hitting anyone else. Dr. Kelly would be protected by her own magic if a flare occurred, but that wouldn’t be of much help to the rest of them if something happened, thus, the reason they were in what constituted as a magical bunker.

Celestia lowered her head to Kelly’s, her lips curled into a soft smile as her horn ignited, “Are you ready?”

The smaller mare nodded, “Do it.”

Celestia returned the nod before touching her horn to Dr. Kelly’s, the spire immediately lighting up with the same light blue that had lit up the circle under her hooves. They stayed connected for a moment before Celestia stepped back, leaving Kelly with her horn aglow and her eyes wide in shock.

Luna chuckled as Celestia made a calm but slightly hurried exit from the circle, “It seems that your teammate has partly lost herself in the feelings her magic is giving her. It must be so strange, and yet so familiar to have all of that energy running through your body and knowing that it is a part of who you are.” She sighed as her gaze travelled into a distant place only she could see, “I remember the first time I cast a spell, it was something I will never forget.”

Shadow watched the proceedings with rapt attention, his optics taking in everything they could as he observed Dr. Kelly return to the physical world. Her horn stayed alight as the blue energy around her hooves began to slowly spread out, her eyes widening even further as the circle’s former golden glow was slowly taken over by her electric blue.

“Focus on containing your magic,” Celestia instructed, “you are its master and it will obey your commands if you have the will to do so.”

Kelly’s eyes narrowed as her brow furrowed, her jaw clenching slightly as she braced her legs against the ground, yet this only seemed to speed up the spread of the magic around her as it raced along the circle’s pattern.

Concentration rapidly shifted to panic as Kelly’s horn flared brighter with each passing second, “I can’t stop it!” Her eyes turned to Celestia only to widen as the alicorn shielded her face and head with a wing, “What are you doing?! I can’t control it! Please, someone help me!”

Shadow took a step forward but was stopped by Luna’s hoof, his optics shifting to her face as she gently shook her head, “There is nothing you can do for her at this point. She needs to go through this, and any interruptions could prove disastrous. Please, wait here until it is safe to approach.”

As much as Shadow wanted to argue, he wasn’t an expert on magic, so he stepped back and watched as the swirling energy around Kelly’s horn began to run wild. Swirls and sparks shifted until they enveloped her entire body, lifting her off of the ground as the light grew too bright for the humans present to bear. Shadow dimmed his optics so he could keep a record of what was happening and watched the barely visible silhouette of Dr. Kelly rise until she was head height with Celestia. The circle was now fully blue and sparking with the energy it was trying to contain, although it looked like there was nothing to worry about. That is, until the light of Kelly’s flare got too bright for even his sensors, and an ominous cracking sound reached his audio receptors over the thunderous roar of Kelly’s out of control magic.

A single look down provided the source of the cracking, and it wasn’t a good thing. The metal of the circle was beginning to bend and warp, rising out of its seating in the stone as more and more of the detailed pattern became overloaded and snapped. Geysers of raw magic spouted from the severed ends of the metal, adding to the pressure that was beginning to put a strain on Shadow’s limbs and chassis. There wasn’t time to call out a warning, assuming anyone could hear him anyway over the roar of the flare, before the entire circle flashed white and disintegrated under the magical overload. The world vanished from Shadow’s vision for several seconds as the magic around him blinded his sensors to anything else, until the magic became too much and he fell over, error messages popping up in his vision before his processors went into emergency shutdown.

The last thing his processors picked up before powering down, was the cry of fear and panic that echoed around the chamber as Dr. Kelly’s voice reached his audio receptors, “Nooooo!”

Author's Note

Yay, an update after three months on hiatus!! Please don't murder me in my sleep because I left you all hanging for so long. I've been up to my ears in work and I haven't had the energy to do anything except sleep, eat and go to work. That and I've had a really nasty cold for the last week so even after getting more time free I still wasn't able to write until now.

Ugh, sometimes I hate having to adult, but, such is life.

Anyways, happy to see you all again and I'm hoping to post more now that I'm not going to be bogged down with work once the school year starts. College, the only way to play.

As usual, say hello to my faithful Patrons, WuBzY and Earthpatriot117, who continue to support me and the stories you all love even when I'm being a lazy bum. Show them some love for all the help and motivation they provide and I hope to see you all next time around. No idea when the next chapter is going to roll in but I'm hoping to having at least the beginnings of it done by the time this chapter becomes public.

See you next time, and bring snacks, because this next one's a doozy,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

21 - Trials and Transmodifications

Author's Note: Hello everypony, and welcome to my little Nightmare Night Special!! I am your host for the evening, the one and only Discord, and I'll be filling in for little miss bat-wings while we all have some fun together! As for what kind of fun we will be having, well what else but the wonderful delights that pure, uncontrolled chaos can bring?! I hope you all enjoy the show, and I will be looking forward to the laughter that will certainly follow my delightful performance.

Adieu, and I shall see you all as the curtain falls on this little sideshow of holiday horrors!

*Snaps his fingers and fades out of existence in a puff of black smoke, laughter echoing off into the distance*

Just a little note from me, Italicized words are in Equish while normal speech is in English. Just wanted to make sure you were all on the same page before we got into this lovely little number. See everypony at the end, and happy Nightmare Night!!

Shadow’s processors slowly came back online, his optics powering up as the rest of his systems ran through troubleshooting routines to ensure there weren’t any errors in his primary drives. However, his attention was quickly drawn away from his subroutines as his optics focused in on the other members of the team. For a moment there was a logical inconsistency in his processors, although it sorted itself out once he performed a rapid scan of the beings in the room around him. Yet there were several things that still did not add up, at least with the data that he currently had available to him.

For one thing, none of the others seemed to be the same chronological age as they had been prior to the burst of wild magic. As he adjusted his servos to stand up, Shadow managed to identify that all of the team members were alive and healthy, if not quite themselves.

The last sparks of magic were still fading from the air as Shadow walked from each prone being to the next, inspecting them on a closer level in order to attempt to determine if there were any other secondary effects from the magic surge that Dr. Kelly had produced. Speaking of the unicorn, Shadow caught the sound of hurried hoofsteps coming from his right as Kelly rushed towards the still form of Princess Celestia, or at least what had once been Princess Celestia.

“Princess!” Kelly cried as she slid to a stop, her front legs cradling the tiny form gently as she sat back on her haunches, “Please, please be alright!”

Kelly’s voice seemed to rouse the others from their comatose state, although as they began coming around fully there were several cries of shock and fear as they caught sight of what had happened to their bodies.

Princess Luna was the first to stand, her eyes taking in everything around her as the diplomatic team panicked in various ways. She took one look at her front leg before igniting her horn, her voice echoing around the space as the others froze in place.

“ENOUGH!” While her voice was still recognizable, there was a definite shift in tone from how she had spoken before, and she seemed to take note of this as she calmly walked up to Dr. Kelly and the now filly sized Celestia.

Kelly’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at the now elderly Princess Luna, her eyes widening even further as she looked at the other members of the team and seeing what her surge had caused. Her breathing began to come in shallow gasps and for a moment Shadow was about to intervene when Luna gently placed a hoof on the smaller mare’s shoulder.

“You are not to blame for this,” her voice was calm and her lips were curled into a soft smile, “you would have had a surge at one point or another, so it is best that it was contained within this secure space instead of in a public area where it could have caused untold damage.” Luna’s hoof moved to gently lift Kelly’s chin so they could meet gazes, “This magic will fade in time and then we can return to as things were before.” A slight frown befell the Lunar Princess’s muzzle as she gazed upon her now infantile sister, “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do at this point but attempt to move forward as we are. Wild magic has no cure because of its random nature, so until the spell wears off by itself, we will have to deal with its effects as best as we can.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” Will cried out as he inspected his now much smaller teenage hands, his clothing hanging off of his body like oversized sacks, “Why did I let you guys talk me into doing this?! I wouldn’t have volunteered for this mission if I had known I’d have to worry about getting changed back into a teenager!”

“At least you got some years back,” Ambassador Lang grumbled as he stood up, his hand running through his now snow white hair in an attempt to maintain his composure, “it seems I have been altered to roughly the age of my parents.”

“I don’t like this,” Bellwood grumbled as she tried to move about, her armor clicking and rattling as she removed her helmet to reveal the face of a middle-aged woman, “My armor doesn’t fit now and I can’t seem to reach the clasps to get it off.”

“Let me help you Ms. Bellwood!” Captain Goodwill cried as he scampered up to the much older woman, his armor hanging off of his body in chunks while his ten-year-old hands were quick to reach between the plates of the Lieutenant’s armor to undo the latches that held the segments together, “I don’t quite understand what’s going on, but I can help you at least a little,” he looked up at Bellwood with a sparkling, innocent gaze that only a child could accomplish, “isn’t that right, Ms. Bellwood?”

“It seems that the wild magic given off in Dr. Kelly’s surge has caused all of us to undergo some form of age shift,” Princess Luna stated as she walked up to the others, her sister nestled comfortably on her back in a sleepy little ball, “It could be quite some time until the effects wear off, given they did not immediately cease once Dr. Kelly’s surge came to an end. We must do our best to remain calm and continue with our duties as best as we can until that happens, if for no other reason than we must be ready for the Summit that shall be occurring in the next few days.”

“But how can the Summit go on with all of us having undergone such drastic changes?” Kelly asked as she averted her gaze from the others, “If I hadn’t lost control of my magic then none of this would have happened.”

Luna placed a wing over Dr. Kelly’s back, her smile firm but kind as she retorted, “I stated before that you are not to blame for this. Do not dwell on what cannot be changed and focus instead on what can be done.” Luna returned her gaze to the others, her muzzle tilting upward slightly as she addressed the team in totality, “Members of the human ambassadorial team, please accept my most humble apologies for the discomfort that has befallen you. We will do everything in our power to help in this strange time and hope that this does not affect the relationship between our peoples.”

There were quiet mutterings of affirmation, although they were quickly outspoken as Blueblood finally came around, his voice causing the others to jump because of its shrillness and volume.

“What happened to my perfectly manicured mane?!” All eyes fell onto the panicking prince, who was now curled up into a ball on the floor holding his completely bald head with both front hooves. His wrinkled face showed that he had been aged up to later adulthood, although the complete lack of a mane was what was holding everyone’s attention as the frantic stallion tried to pick up the fallen strands that lay on the floor around him.

Chaos soon followed the former prince’s exclamation as several things happened all at once. First, Celestia slipped from Luna’s back and began sliding around the room like a block of ice on smooth marble. The filly awoke and squealed in joy as her pink mane and tail waved in the wind of her passage, her giggles echoing around the room as her speed continued to increase. Luna attempted to grab her sister with her magic, but the dark blue aura seemed to slide off the filly as easily as water over a rock.

Second, Will’s body rapidly faded from view, leaving only his clothing visible as he began to rapidly move about in a panic, at least from what Shadow could pick up with his sensors. The strange thing was that there was no trace of the teen on his audio or visual scanners, the only thing that could tell what the poor cowboy was doing was his seismic sensors paired with the motions of his poorly fitting clothes. Conversely, Bellwood began to glow in various colors from underneath her armor and clothing, the light quickly rising to a brightness that forced Goodwill to back away and shield his face.

Speaking of the child captain, the poor boy’s surprise at the sudden random effects caused him to shout, although his voice was garbled like he was speaking underwater as streams of small, pink bubbles erupted from his mouth with every utterance. This caused even further panic among the beings present as Luna tried and failed to chase down her speeding sister, who was having the time of her life sliding about the room’s floor.

Shadow simply stood watch at the doors, which had been dented and partly buckled from the force of Dr. Kelly’s magic blast, observing and cataloguing the effects that seemed to be occurring at random to all the organic beings present save for Dr. Kelly. Given it was her own magic that had caused these effects, and Celestia’s explanation earlier, it would be logical to assume that she would have been protected from the surge, although the steady increase in her heart rate and the spike in her brain activity told Shadow that the poor mare was still being affected on a psychological level.

Ambassador Lang attempted to help Princess Luna stop her wayward sister’s wild ride, only to come to a sliding halt as the majority of his body erupted in bright white feathers. His clothing bulged with the sudden addition to his surface area, and it was only two seconds before the poor man sneezed, the feathers that had covered his face apparently having irritated his nose. What followed could only be described as a maelstrom of fluff as every single feather on his body ejected itself from his person. The white cloud expanded rapidly from the ambassador, obscuring Shadow’s vision for a moment before they settled to the stone floor in a roughly twenty-foot radius. Celestia laughed even louder as she slid through the fluff scattered around Ambassador Lang, her passage throwing the multitudes of feathers back into the air just in time to meet the slightly winded Princess Luna behind her.

Luna sputtered and sneezed as her face was assaulted by the white projectiles, her hooves sliding about for a moment before she could get her grip on the stone. Her horn ignited in what Shadow presumed was an attempt to get rid of the offending fluffy missiles, only for a passing feather to rub right along the tip of her muzzle. Her face scrunched up in a failed attempt at stifling the sneeze, only for it to erupt from her muzzle in a thunderous rush that nearly knocked the nearby humans off their feet.

While Lang’s body sprouted more feathers from seemingly nowhere, Shadow took note of Princess Luna’s predicament, given that in her distracted state she apparently hadn’t noticed the secondary effect of the surge that had begun to run its course on her. Even as she swatted at the feathers that always managed to find a way to tickle her muzzle, Shadow observed the Lunar Diarch slowly shrink in size until her body was no larger than that of the average pony, perhaps even a bit shorter than some of the taller stallions.

The chaos might have continued unimpeded from there, had the guards from outside not managed to wedge the doors open at the exact wrong moment. Celestia, in her frictionless state, had managed to slide into just the right trajectory to match up with the now open doorway, her squeals of joy rising in pitch even as the others cried out frantically.

“CLOSE THE DOORS!” Luna shouted, not realizing in her panic that she hadn’t spoken in Equish, but rather English. She only realized her shift in stature as her now shorter legs got tangled up as she tried to get between her sister and the opening, her cry of surprise falling on deaf ears as the shouting of everyone else drowned out the exclamation.

The unicorns were too busy gaping in shock at the random mess that they had stumbled into to pay their princesses any mind, Celestia’s speeding passage apparently going unnoticed as they rushed into the room, trying and failing to bring order to the panicked beings around them. Shadow, knowing fully well that something could go horribly wrong should the filly manage to slide out of an open window or off of a balcony, chose to leave his post observing in order to attempt to rein in the wayward alicorn.

Shadow’s claws clicked rapidly as he sped down hallway after hallway, his optics locking in on Celestia as she slid around startled guards and maid staff, closing the distance slowly as his processors ran overtime trying to come up with a way to contain the hapless filly. Frictionless status meant that there was next to no way to stop her unless he managed to catch her in a container of some sort, but that still didn’t explain why Luna’s magic hadn’t been able to grab her sister when she originally began to move. Rerouting his logic drive for a moment to move past the inconsistency, Shadow focused instead on working with the information he had that could be put to use. Firstly, he needed to find something that could halt the filly’s movements, or at least redirect her into a more enclosed space. Secondly, he would need something that could hold her without allowing for any excess freedom of movement, ideally some kind of tank or box.

Finally, Shadow managed to catch up to Celestia, who simply giggled louder as she slid down one of the main hallways, “Fwaster! Fwaster, Doggy!”

It seemed that the princess’s mental capabilities had been altered to match her current age, although that information would have to be put into storage for the moment as Shadow spotted an open door off to the left side in front of them. Calculating trajectories at millisecond speeds, Shadow dove to the side and swatted his paw against the filly, sending her into a sideways spin that ended up putting her directly between the mantles of the open door. Shadow slid to a stop in the opening just in time to redirect Celestia back into the room, her squeal of delight echoing around the storage closet as she knocked over boxes and containers filled with rags with every pass. Timing his movements so that the filly wouldn’t be able to slide past him again, Shadow rushed into the room and grabbed a nearby storage crate with his teeth, hurling it over his shoulder so that it landed perfectly on top of the filly right before she could get through the now unguarded opening.

Throwing his weight on top of the wooden box, Shadow heard Celestia let out a whine of annoyance as she tapped against the sides of the box, the miniscule force enough to send her into a spin even inside such a small space. Taking the lid from where it had fallen on the floor beside him, Shadow slid the square of wood under the edge of the box, effectively closing the filly inside before flipping it over. Celestia cried out in surprise as Shadow lifted the now secured filly onto his back, box and all, all while locking the lid to the sides with the metal clasps that had been handily installed around the edge.

Shadow took his time to make sure that there hadn’t been any extra damage from his rapid chase through the castle halls, although from the looks of things as he made his way back to Celestia’s lab, the worst of it were a select number of potted plants that had been knocked over as the now contained filly had bounced off of their wooden bases. His audio sensors picked up the frantic shouts of both his team members as well as several ponies as he returned to the lab, although he had to dial back their sensitivity as Princess Luna’s voice echoed through the air.

“ENOUGH!” The remaining royal’s gaze locked onto Shadow and the box on his back as the others finally grew silent, her voice returning to normal levels as she raced up to the now larger machine, “My sister, is she safe?”

Shadow was about to respond when a sheepish and quiet voice spoke up from the box on his back, “Woona? Can woo make da big doggy wet me go?”

Luna’s gaze softened as she popped open the box, looking into the container through the crack she created as she smiled, “I’m sorry, sister, but we can’t let you out until you stop sliding around. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt, would we?”

Shadow couldn’t see the filly, but he could create an image of her pouting from the tone of her much higher voice, “But I wanna pway some more! Pweeze can we go pway?”

By this point, everyone had gathered around Shadow, although with Bellwood glowing various bright colors, it was difficult to see properly, especially as Ambassador Lang sneezed again, creating another explosion of feathers that covered everyone present, leaving Goodwill in hysterics on the floor as more pink bubbles filled the air alongside the feathers.

“P-Princess,” one of the guards managed to stutter out as he realized that the short, elderly mare before him was really Princess Luna, “what happened in here? We heard an explosion and then we couldn’t get the doors to open. Are you alright?”

“Does it look like We art alright?!” The Lunar Diarch had to take several calming breaths before she spoke again, “No, things seem to have taken an unexpected turn. My sister’s seal failed to contain Dr. Kelly’s magic flare, which has caused a number of effects to befall us, not the least of which being an age spell that has drastically shifted how old everypony is.” She nodded to Shadow as he translated for the rest of the team, given Will was still completely invisible and silent save for the clothing on his body. “We will do what we can to keep the citizenry calm, given the effects of the flare will pass in time. Until then, we must continue the preparations for the Summit, the leaders of the other nations will be arriving in two days’ time and we must be ready to receive them.”

“You must be mad!” Blueblood managed to shout as he stumbled up to Luna, seemingly not caring about the scowl that had formed on the alicorn’s face as he shoved his muzzle against hers, his blatant invasion of her personal space making the guards tense in response, “I won’t allow anypony to see me like this! I don’t care if you throw me in the dungeons, I won’t take a single step from this room until my mane is restored!”

Shadow could have sworn he heard Luna’s teeth grinding as her wings flared over her back, Blueblood taking a step back as the smaller mare’s horn ignited and her eyes narrowed in anger, “You dare to lecture me?! Even after all that you have done, and all of the trouble you have caused, you still have the gall to speak in such a way to your ruler?! Guards!” the stallions’ armor clicked as they threw hasty salutes, “See to it that this ingrate gets what he has so generously requested. He shall be staying in the dungeons until the Summit is over, where he can’t cause any more trouble.”

Blueblood’s eyes widened in fear as sweat began running down his face, “Y-You can’t! I-I take it back, I don’t want to leave my new companions! D-Didn’t Celestia say that I had to serve them to the best of my ability until my time was up?”

“That is Princess Celestia to you, you overbearing, spoiled, ungrateful buffoon! And I expect you to show her the proper respect she deserves even in her current state.” Her gaze leveled onto the nervous royal guards, “Well? What are you waiting for? Get this idiot out of my sight before I lose what little patience I have left.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” They cried in unison, dragging the sputtering Blueblood from the room before he could utter any further complaints.

Luna sighed, turning her attention back to the gathered diplomatic team, “Forgive me. It is unbecoming of a Princess to lose her temper as such.”

“No need to worry yourself, Princess,” Ambassador Lang stated calmly before sneezing yet again, a long-suffering sigh escaping his mouth as the feathers on his body detonated with a loud poof, “This is going to become bothersome rather quickly.”

“Oh shoot!” Goodwill cried out as his feet slid out from under him, the bubbles ceasing in favor of his body beginning to slide about like Celestia had been moments before.

“Not again!” Luna yelled as she created a box of magic barriers around the boy as he slid around on his back, his actions only causing his movement to speed up as he attempted to rise or stop himself with his hands.

Everyone else let out a sigh of relief as any further crisis were averted for the time being, although that still left one big issue hanging over their heads as Dr. Kelly finally spoke up, “So, you said something about the Summit still going on as planned. Why wouldn’t you postpone it after all of this?”

Luna’s lips curled into a frown, her gaze traveling up to the ceiling of the chamber as she let out a sigh, “Because it would show weakness to the other nations of our world, not to mention insult them after calling them all far from home. Plus,” her gaze returned to the mare standing beside her, “your team still has a task to complete, we will just have to explain that there has been a magical accident that has caused these unusual effects. Hopefully they will wear off before the other representatives arrive but given the amount of power that came from your flare, I doubt it will be less than a week before we return to normal.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Goodwill grumbled as he continued to slide about inside Luna’s construct, “you mean we need to deal with these crazy effects for a week?!”

He opened his mouth to say more, only for silence to befall his speech. Luna’s barrier faded out as the boy stood up, although his visible relief was short-lived as he too began to fade from view, stopping at a point where his body was mostly translucent and his scowl mostly rendered invisible as he walked into the glow radius of Bellwood’s light emissions.

Ambassador Lang sneezed again, adding to rather impressive pile of feathers that littered the ground around them, “I believe we will be experiencing a variety of effects at different rates, Your Highness. At least from what I have seen so far from the changes that have befallen Captain Goodwill.”

Princess Luna nodded her agreement, “It would seem that the effects of Dr. Kelly’s flare do not act on the same timetable for each of us. Be careful, as we do not know when they will change for each of you, nor do we know at what severity. The plan is still to attend the Summit and introduce your kind to the world at large but be ready for anything. The last thing we need is one of these random effects to happen at the wrong time.”

The others voiced their agreement, or in Goodwill’s case, nodded, before Luna turned to face Shadow and opened the box to take a look at her diminutive sister, “We will have to keep you in something like this box until you stop sliding around. I am sorry, sister, but it wouldn’t be safe to let you out until we can be sure you won’t go flying off through the castle halls.”

“But I wanna swide awound!” The filly attempted to stand up but squeaked in a combination of frustration and surprise as her hooves slid out from under her again, “Ovay, moobee not.”

Luna chuckled as she rubbed her sister’s head, her actions causing the filly to spin inside the box for a moment until her hoof’s gentle pressure slowed her rotation to a near stop once more, “We will let you out as soon as you can walk again. Try to be patient. We will make sure you aren’t bored or lonely as best as we can.”

“Obay.” Was the discouraged reply.

Shadow followed the others out of the room as Luna placed her sister’s box on her back, her wings flaring slightly to steady it as they worked their way back through the castle halls into the more public sections of the building. Many of the staff stopped and stared at Luna as they walked by, their hanging jaws voicing their shock almost as easily as the poor maid who fainted on the spot as they passed. Shadow could very well calculate any number of possible problems that could arise from this new development, but without reliable data about their afflictions, there was little he could do to stop anything from going wrong.

He just hoped that the other representatives didn’t try and pull anything in their current state, or he would be hard-pressed to do anything besides react as the situation evolved.

…Power core: 87%...

…Portal Recharge Time: 8:22:45:15…14…13…12…

Author's Note

Well, what did you all think of my spectacular performance? Was it hysterical, riveting, ooh, ohh, how about totally and completely awe-inspiring?!

*Crickets chirping*

Oh come on, is it really so hard to find ponies with a good sense of humor these days? *Scoffs* Really I don't know why I even bother.

*Rips open a hole in space-time and shoots off at lightspeed, leaving a certain Thestral in his place*

Oh, hi everypony, did you all enjoy the show? I know things got a little out of hoof there, but with somepony like Discord running the show how could it not? Anyways, I wanted to let you all know that this is not the end of these chaotic adventures, oh no. There's going to be at least three more chapters with all of these random magic mayhem effects going on, so buckle up because the fun has only just begun.

Other than that, say hello once again to my faithful Patrons, WuBzY and Earthpatriot117, who have continued to support me and my books for over a year now!!! Links to my Patreon on my author's page if you feel so inclined, or not, the choice is yours.

Also, I finally cracked 100K words in this book!! Everypony gets a box of chaos cookies in celebration!! Careful, they apply one of the random effects seen in this chapter for a random time span up to a day in length. Choose wisely.

Anyways, now that we have that all wrapped up, I hope everypony is having a fantastic Nightmare Night, even though it is a day late, and I look forward to seeing your comments in the towel section below. Leave a like and follow if you wish, and I hope you are enjoying the book as much as I am writing it.

See you next chapter, with all the chaos it has in store,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

1 - Mission Launch

……Initializing……

……Source Code Found……

……Powering Up Main Systems……

……Unit Designation: CW04……Codename: Shadow……

……Subroutines Enabled……Weapons Status: Inactive……

……Power Core: 100%……Motor Functions: Optimal……

……Powering Up Auditory and Optic Sensors……

……Startup Complete……

The world lit up in sharp colors and shapes as Cyber Wolf 04, nicknamed Shadow, powered up from his inactive state. Without being told anything, he automatically knew what was going on. As part of the advance scout team for the Gateway Project, he understood that the only reason he would have been activated was because the humans running the program had found a possibly habitable world. They needed him to do some reconnaissance in order to determine if the planet was suitable for human habitation and to run diagnostics of the local flora and fauna, if any existed.

Following the designated coordinates routed through his transponder, Shadow walked out of the charging station, feeling the numerous cables detaching from ports in his body as he left the mostly bare room, ignoring the eleven other charging stations and his sleeping brothers and sisters. Time was always a priority when it came to these missions, as the portals could only be kept open for a short period of time before the gate had to be closed for recharging. Only by constructing a second gate on the other side could a stable portal be opened, but that was none of his concern. The only thing Shadow had to worry about was determining the habitable or inhospitable nature of his destination, and to run initial scans on any life native to the planet that could prove useful to his human creators.

Shadow walked down the slate-steel halls of the complex, passing a few humans in lab coats as they walked around performing other tasks, although the cybernetic hound paid them no mind as he made his way to the portal room for his immediate departure. He paused at the airlock that lead to the gateway, ignoring the vibrant warning labels printed on its surface as the locks disengaged with an audible thunk. The doorway opened with a hiss and Shadow walked into the small antechamber, registering the ultraviolet decontamination on his sensors before the door in front of him opened, allowing him into the much larger portal lab as the airlock shut firmly behind him.

Built into the center of the room, resting on a raised platform with a set of stairs running up to the main generator ring, was the gateway. The massive construction was wide enough to allow a small truck to pass through its ring without trouble, although the portal itself could be adjusted to any size to save on power consumption needs. Right now, the swirling opening was only about the size of a full-grown man, hovering in the center of the gateway’s field generator ring like a window to another world. Then again, that was exactly what it was, revealing what looked like a grassy field ringed with very earth-like trees and shrubs. Shadow stepped up to the stairs and waited for his signal, the observation platform behind him sealed off from the room with a thick pane of invisicrete. The nearly indestructible yet completely see-through material allowed the human operators to observe the portal while remaining completely isolated from the chamber, rendering almost any threats posed by the gateway null and void.

The intercom buzzed as one of the scientists spoke, “Shadow, we have confirmed that the planet before you, classified as a Terran III biome, is nearly identical to the habitats we can find here on Earth. Native life has been confirmed to at least include plants, so expect some kind of herbivorous animals at the minimum during your journey. Other than that, all mission decisions are yours to make as you see fit, as long as the preservation of your processing cores and memory banks is deemed top priority. I don’t need to tell you how hard it would be to replace you, so do your best to stay alive on the other side. Estimated time until another portal can be opened is nine days, seven hours and thirty-eight minutes. Good luck, and we all hope for promising results upon your return.”

Shadow nodded, knowing full well that responsibility for everything that happened on the other side of the portal would fall squarely on his haunches, regardless of the success or failure of his mission. No cyber wolf had ever been lost while on assignment, and he wasn’t about to be the first.

“Acknowledged.” He stated in a monotone voice, “Beginning mission now.”

As Shadow bound up the steps and leaped through the air towards the portal, he caught a few last words from the scientist manning the comms system, “Good luck, Shadow. We’ll be waiting for you.”

With those final words, Shadow passed through the portal and landed square on his paws, the titanisteel digits sinking into the soil and grass slightly as he looked around his destination. The portal closed with a slight pop behind him, leaving the mechanical hound alone in the grassy clearing he had landed in. All around were large trees, reminisce of the oak and cedar from Earth, interspersed with hundreds of small shrubs and ferns. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed that the life of the planet was carbon-based, and that the air around him was almost alarmingly similar to the atmosphere of Earth, minus almost all traces of industrial pollutants. He could hear small animals moving about in the brush, and even caught the distant sounds of what seemed to be birdsong, adding yet another tally to the list of things that seemed to indicate the portal had looped back somehow and deposited him back on Earth in some random temperate location.

Just to make certain he wasn’t back on Earth by some incalculable mistake in programing, Shadow looked up at the shining star that hung overhead, performing a spectral scan of the light and coming up with a distinctive signature. Satisfied that he truly wasn’t on Earth anymore, the cybernetic wolf turned his attention to the surroundings, following standard protocol as he assigned a waypoint to the location of the portal. While it wasn’t unheard of for a portal to open in a slightly different location each time, the chances of it appearing somewhere more than a hundred yards from the original drop zone were less than one percent. Whatever could be said about the humans running the Gateway Project, they were very good about getting repeat results when it was required.

With a waypoint assigned on his internal mapping software, Shadow set off to the West, taking into account that the poles on this planet should behave similarly to the magnetic field back home. Most life-supporting planets were fairly similar in their basic design and geography, although the vast majority of them sported life unlike anything found in the Sol system. To have such close evolutionary ties to Earth was nearly impossible, yet time and time again Shadow spotted life forms that would have been completely at home sitting outside the labs in the forests of Ohio.

Yet not everything seemed to be going as smoothly as Shadow had first anticipated. From the sudden lack of animal noise to the deep vibrations he could sense in the ground, there was something big, and most likely dangerous, in the area, meaning there could very well be a predator other than himself in these woods, looking for something to eat.

……Possible Threat Detected……Weapons Systems: Active……

Shadow’s shoulder plates shifted out of the way as twin plasma cannons sprouted from within his body, the ends glowing softly in bright blue light as he turned his attention to the rustling bushes on his left. Feeling like an aerial view might help him to navigate and to better determine what he was up against, Shadow opened another panel in the center of his back, allowing a hawk-sized mini-bot to slide into the open before spreading its thruster-dotted wings. The machine resembled a falcon about the same as he resembled a wolf, although the lack of a beak and the four bright red optics took away somewhat from that comparison. The silver, mechanical raptor took to the skies with a high-pitched whine as the thrusters on the trailing edge of its wings powered it into the air. In mere seconds it was circling Shadow overhead, its scanners and other sensory arrays picking up additional data that was then sent directly to Shadow’s processors through a wireless uplink. Good thing too, because it allowed the artificial hound to see exactly what it was that had been trying to sneak up on him, and the result wasn’t looking good.

Crouched in the bushes just beyond his own visual range, was a massive feline, although the tiny bat wings and long scorpion tail quickly derailed any comparison to Earthly big cats. The titanic creature had to be a good eight feet tall at the shoulder, its massive front paws sporting six-inch claws that glinted in the sunlight as its long fangs bared in anticipation of the kill. Shadow knew in an instant what he faced was a predator, although he hoped to avoid killing any native life unless absolutely necessary. After all, he was here to research the native life, not exterminate it, although self-defense overwrote his directive to preserve alien life on all accounts.

Perhaps a show of force would be enough to scare the creature off. After all, predators usually avoided more dangerous creatures unless they were absolutely desperate. Shadow set his legs further apart and raised his head in a challenging pose, opening his muzzle and turning his vocal components up to their highest setting. Ignoring the warning signals flashing over his visual feed, he powered down his audio receptors and then let out the loudest sound he could possibly create. It was something like a cross between a howl and a roar, and the shockwave from the sound erupting from his muzzle was enough to kick up dust and rustle the leaves of the plants in front of him, the deafening thunderclap of his cry scattering birds and other smaller creatures for miles around.

At first the large feline flinched, but then issued a roar of its own that paled in comparison to his own. Before he could do anything else, the creature pounded out of the brush, killing intent glowing in its amber eyes as it barreled down upon Shadow. The wolf charged up his cannons, feeling the electrostatic pulses of the superheated matter as it warped the air around him and created a near blinding lightshow. Too late, the monstrous cat tried to slow its advance, but was unable to move out of the way as twin spheres of energy shot from Shadow’s cannons, impacting the creature in the face and left shoulder as he lithely stepped to the side. The creature’s roar of agony was short lived, the mighty feline falling to the ground as the plasma melted through the animal’s fur and flesh, turning the brain and its other internal organs into a cooked soup of roasted flesh and boiling blood. The body fell to the ground and slid past the impassive Shadow, digging a shallow trench in the grass and dirt before coming to a stop just past the machine’s position.

All of that had happened in a matter of seconds, hours by comparison to the super processors of the mechanical hound’s computer banks. A quick scan revealed that the creature was well and truly dead, although after taking a hit like that Shadow wasn’t surprised. The statistical probability of a creature being able to stand up to tens of thousands of degrees would be nearly impossible on a planet such as this, unless other regions were far less habitable than the one he currently found himself within. Pausing to take a blood sample and a small amount of the creature’s venom for further study, Shadow left the corpse behind and continued on his way, not knowing that his mighty roar had attracted the attention of more than just the local fauna.

Twilight Sparkle was having a very bad day. First Applejack had to cancel their scheduled gettogether because Big Mac had hurt his legs again, leaving the apple farmer with nopony to help her harvest the apples for the day. Then Spike had come down with a cold, meaning she had to fireproof the entire library in case he started sneezing again, and to top it all off, her experiment concerning magical transfiguration was not producing any worthwhile results.

The purple unicorn groaned in frustration as she rubbed her head with a forehoof, “Could today possibly get any worse?”

As if the world had heard her plea and decided to be vindictive about how it answered, there was a sudden explosion of sound that emanated from the Everfree forest, causing Twilight’s ears to fold against her head as the unequine roar scattered birds and seemed to make the very ground shake beneath her hooves. Twilight’s ears were still ringing as she tried to clear her head, although her headache was quickly interrupted as a rainbow contrail appeared above her and announced the arrival of Ponyville’s resident speedster.

“What in Celestia’s name was that?!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she came to a halt in front of the dazed unicorn, her wings keeping her aloft as she glanced over her shoulder at the foreboding forest, “You don’t suppose it was a hydra, do you?”

Shaking her head to clear it completely, Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration, confusion setting in as she realized she had no idea what had caused that terrifying roar. “I honestly don’t know, Rainbow, but we better check it out. Who knows what kind of damage that thing could cause if it comes into town?”

She set off at a firm pace, the cyan pegasus following close behind as she glanced down at the determined mare, “So, we’re going to just head straight into the Everfree to find the creature that created a roar that would put a dragon to shame, all in the hopes we can drive it off before it comes after the rest of the town?”

Twilight glanced up at the other mare without breaking stride, “We’ve faced worse than some Everfree monster. I’m certain we can handle anything we come across, and if not,” her horn glowed for a second to emphasize her point, “I can teleport us out of there before we get hurt so we can contact Princess Celestia and the Royal Guard.” A slight bounce found its way into her step as she beamed in anticipation, “Oh, to think, we might be on the verge of discovering a new species. I could end up in the history books for discovering something nopony has ever seen before.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes as the unicorn lost herself in her own little fantasy world, “Whatever you say, egghead. Just try not to end up in the town obituary along with the history books. I really don’t want to be known as the mare who got eaten by some crazy Everfree thing because I was stupid enough to go along with your idea.”

Twilight either hadn’t heard the pegasus or chose to ignore her in favor of her own thoughts, her mouth running a mile a minute as she listed off equipment that they might need for the trip. Rainbow sighed as Twilight continued on her self-rant as she entered the Golden Oak library, leaving the hovering mare on the front porch as the sounds of frantic packing could be heard from inside. Rainbow rolled her eyes once more before rocketing off into the sky, intent on finding the rest of their friends so that if Twilight got them into trouble, again, they would at least be able to handle the threat as a group. Although, try as she might, she couldn’t get the echoing roar out of her mind, her eyes being drawn to the shadows of the Everfree even as she sped away from the foreboding forest in search of Applejack and the other Elements.

One thing was for sure, she had a feeling this was going to be an adventure nopony was ever going to forget.

Author's Note

Well, here we go with another story, although it's not my usual fare. Anyways, hope you are all enjoying the book so far, and I look forward to hearing from you in the towel section below. But first, I have a few pictures to share with you, curtesy of the creator of the images that inspired this story, Andrew-Lim.

First up, we have a picture of Shadow, our favorite cybernetic wolf. Sorry about having to use a link, but the images are too high-res for me to post them directly on this site.

CW04, a.k.a. Shadow

Next up we have our little robo-falcon, who has yet to be given a name. Same thing with the link. Again, sorry guys, but if I could show you the pics directly I would, it's just that the resolution is too high for me to post them here.

Falcon

13 - Choosing Sides

Shadow sat in the same position he had before the man’s weapon fired, his optics locked on the smoking barrel of the sidearm as he watched the events before him unfold. He had fully expected to die when the mass driver had gone off, but what had really happened surprised him in many ways.

The Suit’s eyes were no longer locked on Shadow, but were instead locked on Dr. Scott, how had placed her hands on the sidearm and pushed it off course at the last minute, redirecting the steel projectile into the wall behind Shadow’s head instead of burying itself in his processors.

“You had better have a good explanation for what you just did, Dr. Scott,” The Suit’s voice was practically dripping with threatening anger as he pulled the weapon out of her grip and pointed it back at Shadow’s faceplate, “or I will personally see to it that you are kicked so far out of the program that you won’t be able to see holovid documentaries by the time I get through with you.”

For her part, Dr. Scott didn’t flinch as she stood up, her gaze firm and her body strong as she stood before the taller man, “You can’t destroy Zero Four just because he’s disobeying orders. I understand it goes completely against protocol, but this is an unprecedented situation.” She pointed a finger Shadow’s direction without breaking eye contact, “This unit discovered alien life, the first ever known in humanity’s history. It has the translation matrix for their language in its memory cores and claims to have been transformed into a true A.I. by something native to the planet it was sent to. I don’t know about you, but that sounds a bit too far-fetched to be a simple plot created by an alien species that we have never met.”

“And yet we know nothing about these creatures,” The Suit argued back, still training his pistol on Shadow, “for all we know they could have reprogrammed this unit to spy on us and report back once it discovered a weakness that they could exploit. No,” his finger started to tighten on the trigger again, “it’s better if we get what information we can from this unit and then start over from scratch. We can’t risk the security of our entire race on the testimony of a faulty robot.”

“Then let me see if we can narrow down some of those risks by conducting a study of Zero Four.” Dr. Scott countered as she placed a hand on The Suit’s, “If it truly is hacked, and only working for the aliens, then we can try and hack it back, program over the faulty data and return it to the condition it was before the mission. As it is, we have nothing to lose if we are careful and go about this like a scientist would, not a trigger-happy government agent.”

The Suit seemed to ponder her words for a moment before pulling his weapon back, stowing it under his coat while keeping a laser focus on her, “This is on your head, and if anything goes wrong, I will personally hold you responsible for everything that machine does from here on.”

Dr. Scott nodded, “Yes, sir. I understand.”

The Suit nodded in return, holding his hand up to his ear and activating the communicator there, “I need security teams three through five to the data collection lab yesterday. This is Agent K of the GSB ordering security teams three through five to the data collection lab on sublevel six.”

Dr. Scott gave him a hard look, which he replied to by saying, “You will need something more than words to keep that thing under control. I just did you a favor by providing it.” He paused as the door opened and revealed almost a dozen men and women in power armor, sporting fully-automatic M63 railguns as well as a plethora of other weapons. “See to it that the CW unit in this room does not leave for any reason unless I give the order. You are authorized to destroy it by any means necessary if it so much as twitches in a way you don’t like.”

Agent K turned and walked out of the room, pausing as the door slid open to say to Dr. Scott over one shoulder, “Find out everything you can, and I might just let your new pet project stay online if you can convince me it isn’t a threat.” He turned his attention to the nearest security personnel, “No one comes in or out of this room until I give the word. All access to this lab is herby restricted under Level Nine clearance until further notice. Shoot anyone who enters or leaves if they are not personally escorted by me or given authorization by me.”

“Yes, sir.” The woman barked as she stood at attention, her weapon clicking onto standby as the rest of the security personnel charged up their weapons. The soft whine of electromagnets filled the room as they all trained their weapons on Shadow, the cybernetic hound staying completely still as Dr. Scott rolled her eyes.

“This is ridiculous,” she mumbled under her breath, walking over to the data transfer cables where they had fallen upon disconnecting with Shadow’s ports, “but I can see why a government spook like him would get all uppity about such an amazing discovery.” Her gaze turned to Shadow’s as he turned his head to look at the woman, her own seeming to soften with pity as she held up the cables to his ports, “Please work with me on this. I don’t want to see you get deactivated just because of a bug that we can fix.”

Shadow chose not to reply, nodding instead as Dr. Scott plugged in the cables and then sat down at her seat once again. “Alright, let’s see if we can find out what’s gotten into you.”

“You could ask me what has happened while I was on Equis.” Shadow replied, stiffening only slightly as the security’s weapons pulled just a bit tighter against their armored shoulders, “I will not lie if that is what you are concerned about.”
“It’s not a matter of it you believe you are telling the truth,” Dr. Scott seemed able to perfectly multitask as she typed away at her computer while also talking with Shadow, “it’s about whether those aliens did something to your programing that even you are not aware of. My job is to figure out if they did something to your code while you were there and if that is the cause of the change in your behavior.”

Shadow had no real argument against that, so he simply sat next to the desk and ran through some of the files in his memory, taking a moment or two to remind himself why he was doing this in the first place. It all came back to getting home, to Equis, and his friends. Everything came secondary to that, even his old mission parameters that used to define his very existence. Now he was more than a simple machine, he was a thinking, living being, and he wasn’t about to let anything stand in his way of returning where he belonged.

Shadow followed along as Dr. Scott searched through his files and code, even going so far as to break into his base programming after Shadow gave her the authorization. He wasn’t going to stop her unless it was absolutely necessary, but he did prevent her from powering him down a time or two as she was putting in different command codes. She muttered to herself whenever he blocked her from shutting him down, but otherwise didn’t speak as her eyes roamed around the words and numbers that covered her screen.

Given it was only a matter of time until she found it, Shadow wasn’t all that surprised when Dr. Scott stumbled over his new Emotion Drive, her eyes widening and her hands freezing for a solid three point eight seconds as she stared at the screen. Immediately after, her fingers became a blur as she typed furiously on the keyboard, her screen lighting up with graphs and complex models that were beyond even Shadow’s understanding, her mutterings rising in volume and her eyes moving at ever increasing speeds as she combed through his newest and most complex program. Shadow had never delved into the fine details of the Emotion Drive himself, but it seemed that there was much more to it than he had first believed.

Finally, after going over the data eight times, Dr. Scott stopped, her hands falling limp next to her keyboard as she turned to look at Shadow, her eyes filled with wonder and her mouth hanging loose.

“You – You really are a true A.I.” She managed to force out, “Somehow you’ve changed from a simple thinking machine into something we’ve never dreamed could exist.” Her gaze turned back to the screen, and with a heavy sigh, she closed down the command window.

“What are you doing?” One of the security personnel asked as Dr. Scott stood up and walked over to Shadow.

“I am doing what we should have done from the very start.” She replied as she knelt down in front of Shadow, pulling the data cords from his side before looking him in the optics. “I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot, but can you forgive us for being scared? We’ve never seen anything like you before, and we didn’t know what to expect from you when you first tried to explain.” She held out her hand and flashed a wide smile, “My name is Dr. Kelly Scott, it’s nice to formally introduce myself to you CW04.”

Shadow slowly lifted his paw into her hand, the security agents stiffening slightly as he moved, “It’s a pleasure to formally meet your acquaintance Kelly, but please, call me Shadow. CW04 ceased to exist when I became a true A.I.”

Her smile only grew as she shook his paw, “Then Shadow it is. I’d like to say it’s going to be fun working with you, but with Agent K on our case it doesn’t look like we have much to go on besides our word.”

Shadow scoffed, making all of the humans in the room jerk slightly as he pulled his paw back, “Agent K can go suck on a can of motor oil for all I care. I’ve got more important things to worry about.”

That got a few snickers from Kelly, and even a snort from a single security agent before she could cover it up. “Then why don’t we talk about what it is you do worry about? I’m sure we can come to an understanding about working together instead of against.”

Shadow nodded, glancing at the transfer cables, “You might want to have those plugged into me. I’ll need the hardline connection in order to transfer the translation matrix and other files into the system.”

Dr. Scott’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, “You would give that to us, even after you tried to keep it for yourself?”
Shadow nodded, “I originally wanted to keep it for myself so that way I would have an excuse to go back to my friends on Equis, but if it’s just going to make trouble for everyone, I’d rather let it go then have it spark a conflict.”

He stayed still as she hooked up the cable once more, allowing her access as she copied over the translation matrix and began applying it to the data files he had of his interactions with the ponies. He kept the files concerning Fluttershy locked for personal reasons, and when asked he simply told Dr. Scott that it was a private interaction between him and one of the natives. Best if it was left alone unless she chose to share with the humans herself. Dr. Scott nodded her understanding and continued to copy over files, all the while the clock slowly ticked away on the far wall over the door.

It took six hours for the translation matrix to copy over all of the data he had of his interactions with the ponies of Equestria, and another two for Dr. Scott to go through them for relevant information. It was only as the clock clicked over to three in the morning that Dr. Scott finally slid back her chair and stretched her arms over her head.

“Well, I’ve gotten all of the information I think we’ll need for the time being, so I guess it would be for the best if we got some sleep.” She glanced at Shadow as she stood up, “I guess you’ll have to stay here until we can get Agent K to lift his little lockdown on you.” She turned her attention to the guns that were trained on both her and Shadow as the security soldiers moved to block her way, “Then again, looks like I’m not going to be leaving anytime soon either.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” one of the guards said as he and his teammates trained their weapons on Dr. Scott, “but orders are orders. No one leaves until Agent K gives the word.”

“Then how am I supposed to eat or use the bathroom?” Kelly retorted, much to the guards’ discomfort, “I can’t do that in here with all this sensitive equipment, it could destroy millions of dollars’ worth of data if I get the hard drives dirty.”
“Again, sorry about this,” the guard replied, his voice distinctly apologetic under his face plate as he stood in her way, “but until Agent K gives us the word, you and the machine cannot leave.”

Dr. Scott growled under her breath but chose not to fight against the heavily armed and armored guards, choosing instead to walk over and sit at her deck while rolling a stylus with her fingers back and forth over the mouse pad. It didn’t take long before her head was beginning to loll back and forth on her other hand, her head finally slipping off and hitting the desk with a soft thunk as her breathing slowed in sleep. Shadow expected the impact to wake her up, but it seemed that working for eight hours straight immediately after the excitement of Agent K’s confrontation with Shadow had done little good for her seemingly scrambled sleep schedule.

Taking a glance at the guards to make sure they weren’t going to shoot him for moving, Shadow walked over to Kelly and lay down next to the desk at her feet. While he didn’t go into power down, he did shut down his optics and the majority of his higher processing. Given he wasn’t going to be permitted to charge at the station with the rest of his siblings for the foreseeable future, he figured that it would be best to conserve power where he could.

He managed to pick up one of the guards as she spoke to one of her fellows before he powered down his primary processor, her tone concerned yet unsure as she whispered, “Should we move the machine away from the doctor?”

“Our orders are to keep them here and to keep the scout under control,” was the simple reply, “so long as they don’t do anything threatening, I don’t see a reason to get involved.”

“Yes, sir.”

The following morning, Shadow powered up at seven o’clock sharp and was slightly surprised to see that nothing had changed in the time he had been ‘asleep’. Dr. Scott was still out like a light, her arm hanging free while her other supported her head on the edge of the desk. The guards had changed at some point during the night, although the only reason Shadow could tell under all of their armor was because of slight changes in height and body structure. Other than that, it would have seemed as if they had never left.

Shadow slowly climbed to his paws and tapped Kelly on the leg with a paw, her grumbled reply barely loud enough to be heard as she shifted slightly. Her eyes opened slowly and her head managed to lift an inch or two as she looked down at Shadow.

“Ugh, what time is it?” She muttered as she straightened, her neck cracking in several places as she winced with each pop. “I feel like I tried to sleep on a rock.”

“You fell asleep on your desk,” Shadow corrected, “Not much different from a rock, given it’s made of metal.”

Dr. Scott groaned as she stood up, bending over backwards as her back mirrored the staccato cracks her neck had made moments before, “Well either way, I don’t think I’ll be sleeping on my desk anytime soon after that experience.” She glanced at the guards stationed around the room, “Oh, right, house arrest and all that.”

Shadow sat as Kelly did the same in her chair, his gaze meeting hers as she let out a sigh, “I could think of something to pass the time while we wait for Agent K to get back if you would like?”

Dr. Scott shrugged, “It would be better than just sitting here doing nothing. I’ve already gone through all of your code, so I know you haven’t been hacked or something like that.” She snorted in laughter as she glanced at the model that still took up the majority of the screen, “At least that would be easier to explain then the reality. You’ve somehow managed to transform into a true A.I. and I can’t even begin to explain how.”

Shadow mirrored her huff as he glanced at the guards over his shoulder, “I can imagine it wouldn’t be a simple task by any stretch of the imagination.” He turned back to Dr. Scott as an idea occurred to him, “Would you like to hear about my experiences on Equis? I know you’ve gone through the files in my memory, but it should be more interesting if you get all of the additional details that my memory glossed over.”

Her eyes lit up with delight as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, “Wouldn’t I?! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you’re asking me if I’d be interested in hearing about it?”

A strange sound echoed around the room, and it took Shadow a second to realize that it was coming from him. It rose and fell in random patterns and it was only after a split second of deliberation that he realized that it was laughter. Apparently, Kelly was just as surprised as he was, because her eyes widened in shock as she leaned back from him.

“You really have changed.” She managed to get out as Shadow’s chuckles subsided. She shook her head and refocused on him as she leaned forward again, “Please, tell me about your adventure on Equis. I’d love to hear about it from your perspective.”

Shadow nodded, “Very well. You might want to get as comfortable as you can, this is going to take a while.”

Dr. Scott smiled but did as he requested and leaned back in her seat. Shadow was aware of the guards taking interest in his words as several heart rates jumped slightly as they began actively listening to him. Had he possessed the ability to do so, Shadow would have smirked to himself as he began to speak. Prisoners or not, at least the guards weren’t as paranoid as Agent K when it came to his new abilities.

Time seemed to pass like the wind as the hours slipped away, Shadow’s audience hanging on his every word as he retold his adventures in the land of the ponies, their disbelief about some of the details quickly being changed to wonder as he used the data files in his memory to prove his words as fact. It was only when the door slid open to reveal Agent K in all his grouchy glory that Shadow fell silent, having stopped just short of his rescue of the fillies from the pack of Timberwolves.

Agent K glanced around the room for a moment, his eyes locking onto Shadow for several seconds before he turned to Dr. Scott, “Doctor, I assume that because the scout has not been dismantled already that you must have found something of significance to prove it hasn’t been compromised. Give me a good reason not to have that thing immediately scrapped for parts and I might listen to what it has to say.”

Dr. Scott stood up and spoke in a perfectly flat tone, “I’ve gone through every line of his code and I haven’t found any signs of tampering or corruption in any of his programs. The only things that have changed within CW04 is the addition of a new drive and the ability for him to act as his own administrator concerning the data in his memory.”

“That still does not fill me with much optimism, doctor.” Agent K replied as he pulled out his sidearm, not yet pointing it at anything, “You just said that the scout has the ability to hide data and to refuse direct orders given to it. That sounds like a big breach in security from my point of view. And what exactly does this new drive do now that it’s been added to the scout’s programing?”

Dr. Scott glanced back at Shadow before turning her attention to the agent, “It simulates the random and spontaneous nature of human, or rather, sapient emotion. I don’t know how he developed it, but Shadow has gained the ability to feel emotions on top of gaining free will. From what his data has provided, it was some form of side effect caused by the energy field that surrounds the entirety of the new planet. I can’t give you any further explanation than that, because that is as far as my understanding goes.”

The agent’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “So you are telling me that this machine, a hunk of metal and plastic, has the ability to feel emotion?” He barked a single and dark laugh when Dr. Scott nodded, “That’s absurd. The only thing that machine has gained is the ability to disobey orders when it should be following them without question. Now,” he raised his weapon and pointed at Shadow once again, “Step aside or else I will consider your actions an act of treason against the human race.”

Kelly’s eyes widened in fear and her face paled as she glanced between Shadow and the agent’s gun, her jaw clenching and unclenching as she deliberated. Finally, as Agent K was taking in a breath to speak again, she turned her full attention to the agent and stepped in front of Shadow.

“You’re making a mistake, agent.” She said firmly as she stared down the man’s mass driver, “If you destroy this machine then you will be alienating the very creatures we plan to contact once we can reopen the portal. It’s clear as day that they have formed relationships with the scout, whether it was intended or not, so destroying him now would only strain future relations with the citizens of Equis.” She continued as the guards glanced between the agent and Dr. Scott, “If you destroy Shadow, then you will be the one committing treason, not me. I am working to create a peaceful and productive first contact with the natives of this new planet, and your actions would stand directly in the way of those efforts. You threaten me with treason? Then I’ll threaten you with the same. I’m in the right here, and anyone who hears the full story will agree with me. You are no longer welcome in this facility, Agent K, and as head scientist of the CW field team, I must kindly ask you to leave.”

Agent K laughed as he pointed his weapon at Dr. Scott’s head, “You can’t make me leave. I outrank your authority ten times over as a member of the GSB. Your jurisdiction might be high and mighty inside this facility, but the Global Security Bureau is charged with keeping the whole of Earth safe from any threats, be they domestic or foreign. Therefore, I am charging you with treason and removing you from your post in the Gateway Project. Guards, take her away and escort her out of the facility. I’ll deal with this malfunctioning machine myself.”

For a moment, no one moved, but to Shadow’s complete surprise, the guards did nothing. They simply stood there with their weapons on standby, slowly turning their attention to Dr. Scott.

Agent K gaped as the guards lowered their weapons, the leader of the squad on their left speaking directly to Dr. Scott, “Doctor, the agent is armed and threatening you with lethal force. Do you wish for us to subdue him?”

Agent K sputtered as the guards lifted their weapons and pointed them at the man, “W-What are you doing? I gave you an order! Arrest that woman and destroy the scout!”

Dr. Scott smiled as the guards ignored the man, his sidearm shaking slightly as he faced eight barrels of humming death while the ninth guard moved up to take his weapon.

“Thank you for your help.” Dr. Scott said as the agent was disarmed and escorted from the room, howling threats and demands all the while, “I was a bit worried there for a moment that I was going to have a hole punched in my head.”

The squad leader nodded to her, “While the agent was technically correct about outranking you, he forgot one thing in his argument. We are tasked with the protection of the personnel inside this facility above all else, and that includes units like CW04.” He glanced down at Shadow and nodded once, “Or I guess we should call you Shadow from now on, shouldn’t we?”

Shadow nodded in reply, “Thank you for sticking up for me, sir. I don’t want you to get in trouble for what you did for us, but I have a feeling Agent K will be back and with a much better way of getting what he wants.”

Kelly scoffed, “Let him try. By the time he gets a warrant for a ‘living machine extermination crew’ we’ll have already opened relations with Equis and he’ll have no ground to stand on.” She glanced down at Shadow and smiled, “Let’s get you fully charged and then we’ll see about opening the portal for another visit to Equis. I’ll be going with you, for sure, but I imagine it will be a fairly long list of scientists and security personnel that will need to pack up for an extended trip.” She turned back to the guard captain as the rest of his unit filed out through the door, “I’ll make sure your teams are kept informed of the situation, and we’ll plan for at least three days’ notice before we make the jump. We’re going to need to get linguists and other specialists informed of the situation before we can do anything else anyway.”

The captain nodded, a smile hinted in the tone of his voice as he walked out the door, “I will inform my teams and let them know the situation. Have a good day Dr. Scott. I’ll be looking forward to hearing when we leave.”

With that Shadow was left on his own with Dr. Scott, her smile faltering slightly as she let out a gusty sigh. She sank into her seat and held her heart with one hand as she tried to get her breathing under control.

“Remind me never to step in front of a gun again,” she managed to force out as she settled her breathing, “I nearly fainted from fright when Agent K placed his finger on the trigger.”

Shadow said nothing and chose instead to place his paw on her knee, Kelly looking into his optics for a few seconds before swallowing thickly. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a long gust before standing up with purpose in her stride.

“Well, come on then, we need to get you all charged up and ready for your next mission. I have a feeling we won’t be visiting any new planets for a while so from this point onward your top priority is to establish peaceful relations with the species of Equis.” She glanced down at him with a smile as they walked through the facility halls towards his charging bay, “Think you can handle that for me?”

Shadow nodded, “I’ll do my best, Dr. Scott. I want to see my friends back on Equis just as much as you do.”

“Please, call me Kelly,” she replied as the doorway to the charging bay opened, “I think after all we’ve been through, we can drop the formalities.”

“Very well, I’ll see you again after I charge my power cores.” Shadow stepped into his personal bay and allowed the cables to hook up to his sides and back once again, “If we aren’t going to leave for a couple of days, could you find some books for me to read once I finish charging? It’s going to get really boring around here if I don’t find something to occupy myself with.”

Kelly smiled and nodded as the door began to close, “I’ll see if I can find anything of interest. Any requests?”

“An adventure book if you can find one.” Shadow said, “I found a series on Equis that I think would be a good comparison to human literature. I just need to read something other than a mission summary to compare it too.”

Kelly laughed as she stepped away, the door closing behind her and leaving Shadow alone with his thoughts. He began is usual power down sequence but opted to keep his audio receptors on in case something happened that he needed to be aware of. Other than that, he shut down all of his primary and almost all of his secondary systems, allowing the charging cables to do their jobs as his processors slowed to a near halt.

He hoped that things would work out in the end, but with the way Agent K had been ranting and raving as he was escorted out, Shadow knew better. This was going to come back and bite them if they weren’t careful, and Equis would get caught in the crossfire if Agent K decided to take his vengeance out on the ponies. Shadow swore to himself that he would protect his friends from any harm the agent might plan upon them and set his new mission parameters in his processors as he powered off.

…New Mission Objectives Logged…

…Protect Citizens of Equis from External Threats…

…Establish Peaceful Relations Between Humans and Equis…

…Mission Priority Level: Alpha Zero…

Once that was taken care of, Shadow allowed is usual system review to run while he charged, his memory logging the data as he listened to the soft hum of the charging cables as his power cores were fed with vital electricity.

…Begin System Analysis…

…Power Core: 82%…Charging…

…Portal Recharge Time: Unknown…

…Drone Power Core: 100%...

…Drone Armaments: Restocked…

…Weapons System Repairs: In Progress…

…Memory Cores: 74% Capacity…

…Emotion Drive: Operational…

…Motor Systems: Optimal…

…Primary Processors: Optimal…

…Secondary Systems: Optimal…

…End System Analysis…

Author's Note

Well hello there to all of my faithful fans. I'm back with another chapter and Sweet Luna was that last chapter a doosy!! I never expected in a million moons for such a huge debate to spark concerning the actions of old Agent K over whether his motivations were justified or not. Arguments were being thrown left and right and all of it pointed to a single base point. Should Shadow, as a rouge A.I., be destroyed because of his disobediance, or should he be studied before they deside what to do with him and the aliens he discovered? Well now you have your answer, and I would love to hear what you all have to say concerning how things are moving forward in the book. Post your thoughts in the towel section below and let's see how things go from here.

Also, once again a big thank you to my Patron Earthpatriot117 for his continued support. I won't bore you with the details, you all know where to go by now if you want to join up and pledge so I won't repeat myself.

Other than that, hope everypony is having a wonderful holiday break, and I plan to post a couple more chapters for New Years and my birthday so keep an eye out for those.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.