Artificial Assistance

Artificial Assistance

First Day: Loyalty

The streets of Ponyville, which would be bustling with ponies now that the storm had passed, was empty this early in the morning. The smell of petrichor filled the air and clouds hung low in the sky casting dark shadows on the ground giving a gloomy but refreshing feel to the town. A few Pegasus ponies wearing vests bearing the symbol of the Ponyville Weather Team walked in the same direction as Twilight, some flew overhead as well. As she plodded along she spied Blossomforth flying over head and gave a small wave. Blossomforth craned her neck over her shoulder and waved back, before turning her attention back to flying.

Before long Twilight spied the only other cloud building in Ponyville besides Dash's home, the Weather Team Headquarters. A small building, with the classic roman-esque architecture of cloud buildings, it served its purpose of monitoring and maintaining weather patterns over Ponyville, ensuring that crops weren't flooded, but were still properly watered. The weathervane stuck out at the top of the building, both literally and figuratively, it was the only part of the structure that wasn't made of clouds. Beneath the small cloud facility, under it's looming shadow, stood Rainbow Dash, up bright and early for work as usual.

A lot of ponies assumed Dash was just lazy, and that's why she was always seen napping on clouds, but the truth was that she had to get up before Celestia herself in order to meet with the other Weather Team Captains. Then, throughout the day, she was stationed up in the sky to monitor the weather, which is when she actually got her shuteye. Twilight Sparkle approached the polychromatic Pegasus, a semi-transparent mini-pony sitting quietly on her head, leaning on her horn.

"Hey Twilight! You're here to hand over Ezra right?"

"Yeah." Twilight answered as Ezra hopped from Twilight's head and landed on Rainbow Dash's back. "Alright, there's not much to know about keeping Ezra with you, just don't go more than 6 miles outside of Ponyville without me coming with you, that's as far as the spell can work away from the caster."

"Gotcha."

"Alright, I'm going back home to sleep. I never get up this early." Twilight yawned.

"See ya Twilight! I'll bring her back around 5 o' clock tonight!"

"Bye Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder to see the small AI construct sitting peacefully on her back. She stretched out her wings and gave them a small flap. "Hold on now, you don't wanna fall off." she said. Ezra gave a nod and went back to sitting peacefully. Rainbow Dash stared for a moment before speaking again. "Um... Ezra? You're not holding on." Ezra looked up at Rainbow Dash.

"I'm a spell, I've magically bound my form to yours, I can't fall off."

"Alright then." Rainbow Dash mused.

With a mighty flap of her wings and a jump from the ground, Rainbow took to the skies. She flew upwards at an incline to avoid the floor of the facility above her, and performed a half-loop, followed by a half-roll in order to turn herself around before landing on the cloud. After folding her wings she began to trot up to the entrance of the Weather Team Headquarters while wondering if Ezra could answer a question she had.

"Hey, Twilight told me what that maneuver I just did there was called before, Jimmyman or something?"

"Do you mean Immelmann?" Ezra offered, somewhat monotonously.

"Yeah, that's it. Thanks." Dash concluded

"You are most welcome Rainbow Dash."

Dash entered the main room of the headquarters, only to have her ears assaulted with a salvo of angry voices and concerned Pegasi. At the table, in the center of the room, the three other Weather Team captains: Thunderlane, Airheart, and Lightning Bolt were distressfully arguing over how to handle what could only be a catastrophic situation. Rainbow Dash approached the table where a map of the surrounding area was laid out. Thunderlane stomped his hoof on a location just southeast of Ponyville, about 4 miles out.

"We don't have time to get a large enough team out there! This thing is so big it could cause a windstorm that would knock over trees! We have to warn everypony, take down all the loose branches and secure the large trees to the ground; otherwise homes will be destroyed!"

"And I told you that we can get rid of this pressure system if we just send out one team! It can't be that large! There's no need to cause unnecessary panic in town!" Airheart boomed.

Lightning Bolt chimed in. "I think if we just sent Cloud Chaser's team out there we could handle it!"

"Exactly! At least somepony agrees with me!" Airheart blurted.

"And I'm telling you, I was there, I felt this thing! It was massive! We don't have enough wingpower to handle this!" Thunderlane protested, he turned to Dash taking it upon himself to get her involved, now that she was present. "You believe me right Dash?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the group of Captains, and then looked directly at Thunderlane. He looked absolutely distressed. She'd never seen him this worried before. Airheart and Lightning Bolt both had no idea how good Thunderlane was at sensing pressure systems. After all, they were both new, straight outta Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash turned to face Airheart and Lightning Bolt.

"Look, Thunderlane is really good at sensing pressure system, if he thinks that this pressure system is too big for us to handle, I'd believe him."

"It can't be that bad though!" Lightning Bolt exclaimed. "Control and Management said there wouldn't be anything this bad for months! They'd send somepony for something that bad!"

"Control and Management can't always be right." Rainbow Dash chided.

"If I may interject." Ezra spoke.

"Who said that?" Airheart inquired.

Ezra jumped onto Rainbow Dash's head. "I did, ma'am."

"What is that!" Lightning Bolt exclaimed, jumping back a bit in surprise. Rainbow Dash's pupils swiveled upwards to try to see Ezra on her head. She couldn't see her, not that she was expecting to, though. Her view moved back down to observe the three shocked ponies who didn't even notice the small mare on her back until now.

"It's something Twilight wants my help with, she wants to let her accompany me around for today in order to help her learn."

"Anyway, moving on. About your problem with the weather. I could go out to that location and tell you how large the pressure system is and calculate damages based on Ponyville's structure and pressure as well as the minimum wingpower required to neutralize the pressure system."

"Really?" Thunderlane marveled. "That would be great! Then we would know exactly what to do!"

"I'm not sure, can that thing-" Airheart started to worry.

"Ezra." Rainbow Dash corrected.

"Can Ezra really do that?"

"I don't doubt Twilight or Ezra for a second."

Is this what Twilight was talking about? Such loyalty...

"Get to it, little girl."

"Yes, ma'am." Ezra responded.

A bright flash of light filled the room. Everypony averted their eyes in order to keep from going blind. After it was safe to look around, Ezra was gone. Everypony looked around the room for a moment, wondering if their decision to send Ezra out was the right one or not. Airheart opened her mouth to ask Rainbow Dash a question.

"When will she be-"

Before Airheart could even finish her sentence the bright light returned. After it subsided, everypony turned to face the A.I. sitting atop Rainbow Dash's head. Ezra shook herself dry, small droplets of water wetting her teacher's hair. After she was dry, Ezra kneeled down and took a seat on Rainbow's head once more.

"If left unchecked the pressure system currently in question will merge with the low pressure system surrounding Ponyville and cause damage to 1.4% of the buildings in Ponyville, provided the town does not prepare for a storm. The required wingpower to neutrailize this pressure system is one-hundred and fourteen point one-six-five-nine. The average wingpower of a Pegasus is 9.3, meaning you need an approximate minimum of thirteen Pegasi to handle this system."

"Oh my Celestia, that is incredible." Thunderlane commented.

"We can manage that, no problem." Lightning Bolt added before turning to the intercom system. "Teams Three and Four scramble immediately. Neutralize a high pressure system to the southeast."

"See, Thunderlane, you we're over reacting." Airheart mocked.

"Actually, Thunderlane had an appropriate reaction." Ezra contradicted. "Based on the amount of time it takes to travel between here and the current location of the pressure system and the earliest time a Pegasus on staff here starts their shift, Thunderlane would of  encountered that pressure system while it was two miles farther out than it is now. On it's way to it's current location it passed through another low pressure system. Beforehand, had it collided with Ponyville's low-pressure it would of demolished 2.7% of buildings in Ponyville, while damaging over 50% of them. It would of required a wingpower of six-hundred thirty-four point six-five-three-seven to neutralize it, a number unachievable with the amount of staff here."

Airheart stood with her mouth agape while Thunderlane simply smiled at Ezra. Rainbow Dash walked around Thunderlane, in order to leave the two Captains alone so that Thunderlane could begin to rub his victory in Airheart's face. Dash prepared to clear the sky with the rest of her team, which was their daily responsibility. As she exited the room and began to walk towards the locker room, she spoke to Ezra.

"That was some stuff, Ezra. We could use you around here more often."

"I am glad I could be of service Rainbow Dash." Ezra remarked

Rainbow Dash entered the room to see the rest of her team ready to go. Approaching her locker she swiftly input the combination and swung the door open. She took the goggles out and hung them around her neck while she slid the vest on. After the vest was secure, she slid the goggles over her face and turned to face her team.

"Ready to go, Dash?" Milky Way asked.

"Nah, I'd rather be sleeping, but hey, you do what you gotta do."

"Heh, me too. We don't have watch today, so we can sleep as soon as we get our job done."

"I think I'll do just that afterwards." Rainbow Dash finished.

Rainbow Dash awoke from her nap around one o' clock. Ezra didn't need to sleep, so she took it upon herself to read the Daring Do books which Rainbow Dash was so fond of in order to learn more about her. Of course, she could of finished them all in about five minutes, but she chose to read at a more normal pace in order to pass time. As her eyes opened to the bright light of the sun creeping in through her open blinds, Rainbow Dash rolled over in her cloud bed.

"Mmnnn... Five more minutes..." she said to herself.

Dash's eyes opened once more and as her view came into focus she realized the clock read 2:53. She rolled over in bed and took a deep breath before sitting up quickly and climbing out of bed. She trotted into her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mane was matted and tangled. She fumbled with her hair brush for a moment before using it to straighten out her hair. After it was straightened and no longer tangled, she shook her head to give it that free flowing look it always had. Dash's stomach produced a low growl, threateningly informing it's owner of it's need for food.

"Maybe I should get some lunch..." Dash thought aloud.

Walking down the stairs into her living room she grabbed her saddle bag off of the counter and slung it on her back. Ezra was laying on her sofa, a Daring Do novel propped up against the arm, a page was turned with a lavender magical aura. Dash walked up to the couch. Noticing the sudden shadow looming over her and the varying colors in her peripheral vision, Ezra turned to face Dash.

"I'm going to go get some lunch."

"Then I will accompany you." Ezra said, closing the book with Twilight's magic and taking a large leap over Dash's head and onto her back. Rainbow Dash grabbed her coin purse and threw it in her saddle bags. After stepping out of her front door, and shutting it with her hind legs, she took a leap into the air and flew off into town.

A certain cyan Pegasus folded her wings after she touched down in the marketplace. Spying a food stand she decided to give it her patronage. She rummaged around in her bag and produced 3 bits and set them on the counter, the salespony scooped them up and hoofed her a Blueberry, Lettuce, and Tomato wrap. She walked, holding the food in her mouth, to where Applejacks apple stand always was. Ezra jumped off of Rainbow's back as she took a seat under a tree just behind Applejack's stand. Rainbow held the wrap in between two hooves, as she spoke to AJ.

"Hey AJ, what's up?" Rainbow Dash chimed before she took a large chunk out of the BLT.

"Same as always Rainbow, selling apples on the market. Business ain't too slow today though, I'll be heading home soon."

"s'good" Dash said, through a mouth full of food.

Dash ate quietly under the shade of the tree, savoring every bite. She hadn't eaten since two in the A.M. Ezra sat quietly next to her as Applejack tended to one sale after another in quick succession, bringing her down to her last two-dozen apples. Rainbow Dash bought one after she finished her BLT and began to munch on that. Another pony approached and purchased a single apple, however, Ezra observed him swiping two more into his bags while he paid Applejack. Before he could get more than three feet away, Ezra spoke up.

"Applejack, that stallion just swiped two more apples than he paid for."

Applejack leaned over her stall and looked at the bins of apples. Indeed, two more were gone. When she looked up all she saw was the stallion rounding the corner of a building.

"Shoot! Rainbow, watch the stall while I chase this fella." Applejack barked, just before she galloped off after the thief.

"Sure thing, AJ!" Rainbow took a bite out of her apple. "Good eye you have there Ezra."

"It's my job to observe my surroundings." Ezra replied.

"Well, you do a great job of it." Rainbow praised. "Most ponies would just ignore that kinda thing if it happened. They wouldn't want to get involved. I think you've already learned a lesson in loyalty."

"If you say so."

After about thirty more minutes, Applejack returned, two apples hanging from her mouth by the stem. Rainbow stood up and brushed her legs off, first her forelegs, then her hindlegs.

"So I take it you got the situation sorted out?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah, the Sheriff's got that thief now." Applejack answered, after dropping the apples back in the bin. "Thanks Ezra, I wouldn't of had the slightest idea if'n you hadn't told me what he did."

"Not a problem, Applejack." Ezra answered, as humble and blunt as ever.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash chatted for a while, as Applejack sold the last of her wares. Rainbow Dash recounted the weather emergency this morning, and mentioned how much of a help Ezra was.

"Well, seems like you'll be a might help around the farm Ezra." Applejack said. "Can't wait to have yer company."

"I look forward to it as well, Applejack."

Rainbow Dash mulled around the rest of the day. Talking with ponies she knew, paying Pinkie Pie a visit. Before long it was nearing five o' clock. On her way home she stopped by Twilight's in order to drop of Ezra. She recounted the important parts of her day to Twilight and mentioned how Ezra already seems to have learned how to be loyal.

"Well that is reasonable. Loyalty is an easy thing to pick up. Especially for something so programmed and logical as an A.I. construct." Twilight commented.

"Well, I'm glad Ezra was with me today. Both Applejack and I would of had problems today if she hadn't been around." Rainbow declared.

"Alright, well I'm going to dispel Ezra now. But before I do, Ezra, could you pick another one of my friends at random please?" Twilight asked. There was a short pause before Ezra blurted out her result.

"Pinkie Pie."

"Alright then. Rainbow Dash, could you let her know on your way home please?"

"Sure thing, Twilight."

Twilight turned from Rainbow Dash and touched her horn to Ezra's forehead. Ezra faded and flickered before disappearing. Twilight gave a sigh.

"Wow, it feels like a hundred pound weight was just lifted off my back."

"That tiring, huh?" Rainbow questioned.

"Well yeah, but not in a normal way. It's hard to describe to Pegasi or Earth Ponies."

"Are you okay with doing this everyday?"

"Oh of course! It just gets harder the longer it goes, that's why I've gotta dispel Ezra at night. I couldn't do it every day forever though, all the magical stress would pile up eventually and I would pass out." Twilight answered.

"Alright, well don't put too much of a strain on your abilities. I've always thought of magic like a muscle, it could tear if you overuse it too much."

Twilight gave a slight chuckle. "I'll be careful, Dash."

With that, Rainbow Dash walked out of Books and Branches and took to the skies, stopping by Sugarcube Corner to let Pinkie Pie know of her company for tomorrow. She could still hear Pinkie's voice in her head as she glided home.

"Whoopie! It'll be so super-duper awesome-sauce'em to have somepony around to help me. I mean, sure Mr. and Mrs. Cake do a lot of work around hear but ever since they had Pound and Pumpkin it's been super hard around here. Oh! And we could even have a slumber party after work! There'llbecupcakesandpunchandwecouldtellscarystoriesandhavepillow

fightsandplaymyfavortistoffavortistgameslike-"

It went on forever. Dash was surprised she made it out without a headache. She hoped A.I. couldn't get headaches.