Friendship Befits Firepower

Chapters

Chapter One- Life is a Rock Farm
Chapter Two- Insomnia
Chapter Three- MARBLE-01
Chapter Four- Maintenance

Chapter One- Life is a Rock Farm

What could be better than this thrilling, lonely, symphony?

Each swing of her hammer resonated with her soul as it did on the steel. This was her world, and nopony besides her was allowed within.

Cog and wire, gem and gizmo. Contraption and contemplation. Steel and self. She was building a piece of her heart and soul made manifest.

In a bone-dry cavern filled with choking dust and rock, Marble Pie stood with a heavy hammer clutched in her teeth. Her entire body was sore from exertion, particularly her neck. Heat blasted her from the confines of an earthen blast furnace. Its flames reached out towards her, but she ignored them. There was a need for this, a need for something greater, and the tongue of flame's burn would not stop her.

With a light gray coat like sunbaked stone, and a dark gray mane with naught more than a single lighter gray stripe, Marble Pie looked much like the steel she was working on. Dull yet sturdy. Her muscles flexed as she smashed her hammer down once more, bending a red-hot piece of metal to her will.

Sparks showered towards her face only to meet the steadfast embrace of a black-glassed visor. Her long gray mane was tied back with a single, simple steel hairpin.

Humming with thought, Marble Pie pulled away from the flames. The scent of dust, and heated metal was strong in the air. Her body was hot and sweat pealed through her fur, but she didn't care. This steel plate would be needed for later. It would be needed for her creation. The mere thought of it filled her heart with a buzzing excitement so rarely felt elsewhere.

Marble Pie turned to look at her life's work.

It stood a way away from the forge. Made of steel and magic gem, it was a sight that could be found nowhere else in Equestria.

The thing stood on two steel legs, sturdy and flat footed. Valves and pistons were the artificial veins of its false legs. Sitting on top of the steel legs was a bulky box-like cockpit. Only angled near the front, it was designed to deflect frontal blows from anything that might harm it. Stoic and sturdy, the machine was much like the family line of the pony who built it.

The arms of the machine would be uncanny to ponies who had not worked on the machine. The right arm was a triple-barreled device attached to a bulky, stable arm. It had a certain air to it, of spent magic, and of malintent. Sharp and unforgiving lines made up the three barrels and their construction. When activated, the barrels would spin, dispensing nine-hundred blasts of magic per minute. The thought of such power filled Marble's heart with pride.

The left arm was something a little different. It was more flexible, having a little more maneuverability to it. Dual prongs at the end of it almost seemed to spark with a promise of reckoning. The two prongs gathered the charge in the air naturally. Even just standing near it would have one's coat rising with static. When activated, one could be sure that lighting would follow.

This was her mech. Her heart, and her steel.

Marble Pie smiled as she looked at the thing. It was hers, and it was beautiful. Constructed mostly of interlocking steel plates, gemstone magic wire, and cogs that spun within, it was her greatest achievement in life. And no pony would ever be allowed to see it.

The mere thought of those outsiders was enough to make her want to shrivel up inside. They stole her last machine, and so she made another one. This time one that would never even be seen. If they wanted to play that game, then she would. A member of the Pie family never forgets. Solid as the rock they farmed, Marble vowed to never let them see again.

With a sigh, Marble took a step further away from the blasting furnace. The steel plate within looked completed, it would be a useful replacement for later. Now she just needed a little frost-gem coolant to speed up the process. Then she could get to the real interesting part, tinkering with the suspension system of her mech.

"Hey sis, you in here working again?" A scratchy, demanding voice called out.

Marble Pie froze. Then she relaxed slowly, recognizing it as the voice of her sister. It was Limestone Pie.

"Mm-hmm!" Marble Pie hummed as she tossed her hammer onto a metal bench nearby.

"Good, we got work to do." Limestone Pie climbed down a wide earthen tunnel and into the cavern. Her body was sprinkled with dust, making it appear as if her stone-gray coat was a lighter shade. "There are new ponies here sis, we got to greet them."

Marble Pie stopped. She stood there a moment, her heart starting to thrum in her chest. Then, she slowly removed her visor and hair pin. Her hair fell down in front of her face, covering one of her purple eyes. With a frown, she turned around to look her sister in the eyes.

"Don't give me that look, you know it doesn't work on me." Limestone huffed. "We are the only ones on the farm today and Pa and Ma are counting on us to welcome them to the town."

"You can do it." Marble said in a soft voice. Her shoulders fell at the thought of meeting one of those outsiders, and she unconsciously shuffled her hooves closer to herself.

"I'm not suffering this alone." Limestone said. Her bold lime-green eyes locked onto her own. "You don't have to talk to them or anything, just show up and seem like you care. Celestia knows I don't care about any new ponies around here."

"I don't want to talk." Marble turned off the furnace, pushing the bellows to the side before turning her back to Limestone.

"Me neither, but we got to." Limestone's face scrunched up in a way that would make a foal cry. "Now get off your rump and let's get to work. You can do your engineering later."

Marble whined silently. She looked over to her mech, then back at Limestone. Maybe she could lock herself inside until those new ponies left.

"No hiding, sis." Limestone stepped in front of her mech, as if reading her mind. "Buck up, let's get this over with."

The two glared, lime green and amethyst purple clashing. Marble narrowed her eyes before sighing in defeat. "Okay."

"Good. You know I wouldn't take no for an answer." Limestone kicked some dirt, a constant frown etched on her face. "Come on, it won't be that bad. I'll take care of the talking; you take care of the existing."

Without another word, Limestone took the passage back out of the cavern. Large and foreboding, the cavern had only been explored by the Pie family. It was the perfect place to put all of her creations where nopony would ever find them. It was her sanctuary, and she felt just as safe in it as the family farmhouse.

Marble tried to ignore the squirming in her chest as she shut down the forge and organized her tools. It had been a long while since she had met a pony outside of her family, and even then, she didn't interact with them much. As always, she had kept her mouth shut when they visited.

She took one last look at her sanctuary. The hammers, the wrenches, the piles of magic gems. Her forge was still glowing, but it would be fine, there wasn't anything flammable near it. The metal benches and desks were stocked full of parts and gizmos.

Then, there was her mech. The sight of it brought a small smile to her face. It would always be waiting for her here. It gave her the courage she needed. She reluctantly trotted towards the cavern exit.

Marble passed ancient wind-blown, and water carved stone. Magic gems in lamps hewn of crystal were strung up on a line above, providing pure white light down the passage. Grooves in the stone from some ancient massive creature coated the floor of the cave. It had been long since dead, Marble had found the bones of it deeper in the caves beyond this one. She didn't go back there anymore; the unstable ground was a quick way to get buried alive.

It did not take long for her to feel the wind of the outside ruffling her fur. Sunlight was ahead, as well as the taste of dusty winds and the smell of dried wood. She stopped at its edge.

Marble tried to find a reason to try and get excited to meet these ponies. Maybe having a little bit of joy would help. Unfortunately, it only made her want to curl up into a ball even more. Ever since Pinkie Pie left the farm, she didn't even know the last time she smiled. Or anypony in her family really, there just wasn't much to smile about.

Well, it was better to just get this over with.

She stepped forward into the light.

"Finally, I thought you calcified in there." Limestone's short, straight, dirty white mane fluttered in a mouth-drying wind.

"Mm." Marble hummed, her head dropping as she stepped outside. She scanned the horizon, looking for the outsiders. She saw nothing. At that, she stood a little taller.

The land spread out before her.

It was a beautiful day in Western Equestria. To the untrained eye it looked terrible, with overcast gray swirling clouds, general gloom, and the only sign of the sun being a single ray piercing through the murk like a divine intervention. While not dark, the clouds soaked up much of the light trying to find its way to the ground. There was a general hue of gray over everything, as if the colors were muted.

The ground itself wasn't much of a looker either. Barren and rocky with little to no green, it was a sight that could bring tears to an earth pony's eyes. The withered and leafless dead trees which had tried to find their roots here had clearly failed miserably, though the occasional groves of green brush and trees still had somehow found the will to live. Their nearly leafless blackened branches reached towards the skies, as if praying for salvation.

It was home, and to Marble, that was all that mattered.

"Well, let's get going then." Limestone huffed. "They are supposed to arrive at the farmhouse soon. Then we will show em around the farm and whatnot. After that, send them back to Rockville and tell them to enjoy their stay here. Simple stuff."

Marble frowned. It didn't sound too simple to her. Well, at least Limestone seemed to have it handled.

Without another word the two walked towards the old farmhouse. When you were rock farmers, you didn't really need much in the way of living quarters. You just needed something to put a roof over your head. Even for a large family like the Pie family, a simple farmhouse was enough. And it showed, it really showed.

Constructed of sturdy old wood, the farmhouse had been in the family for generations. It was two stories tall, though the upper floor was just a few bedrooms. There wasn't much else to it other than a chimney poking out the top of the black-shingled roof.

Next to the farmhouse was a large oval boulder which was just as tall as the house. It was an imperial stone, Holder's boulder. The boulder was storied as the layers of rock it was composed of, having tales upon tales being told of its mysterious origin. And standing next to it was one of those... outsiders. On instinct, Marble Pie hung behind her sister, hiding her head and body as much as she could.

The outsider, a mare, was sitting on top of the boulder. The boulder that had been in their family for generations. The boulder that Marble had been told tales of when she was just a little filly. It was historical, awe inspiring, and a prized landmark.

It was taken from a dragon's lair beneath the farm by the first Pie to settle here, Holder. Ancient and sturdy, it was a boulder as old as anypony could remember.

And there was somepony sitting on it.

"Hey, YOU!" Limestone barked, her mouth nearly frothing in rage. "Get away from Holder's boulder!"

The pony, a deep purple coated mare, jumped in surprise. She slipped with a shout, sliding down the side of the boulder before smacking into the dusty earth.

Marble couldn't help but worry the tiniest bit when she didn't get back up. As they approached, a loud groan came from the pony.

"Why were you on Holder's boulder?" Limestone stomped forward. "And where's the other you're supposed to be with?"

"Sorry, sorry!" The mare rolled over in the dirt. "I didn't know!"

"Stop groveling." Limestone snapped. "Just don't touch Holder's boulder again."

"Okay." The mare jumped to her hooves, dusting off her coat. "I'm really sorry. My name is Crystal Courage, what's yours?"

Marble peeked out from behind her sister. She met the vibrant blue eyes of Crystal Courage. With a jolt running through her body, Marble pulled back behind her sister. Why did they have to look at each other at the same time?

"Welcome to the unwiped flank of Equestria, I hope you enjoy your stay. Now, let's get this over with." Limestone stepped to the side to Marble's horror. "This is my sis, Marble Pie. Don't worry about her not talking, she's shy. My name is Limestone Pie. Don't forget it."

"Mm..." Marble mumbled, looking to the side. She could feel the eyes of the outsider boring into her. Her muscles tensed, primed to act with ancient survival instincts. When she turned to run, Limestone caught her by the scruff and pulled her back.

Marble hung there, then resigned herself to her fate.

"Nice to meet you two!" Crystal smiled, beaming like the unshrouded sun. She was out of place in this dusty, gloomy land. Like a star in the night sky, her brightly colored coat, eyes, and demeanor, did not belong here. The only thing that might have fit in was her long white mane, but even that was too clean. "My brother couldn't make it, so I came alone!"

"Yeah, nice to meet you." Limestone sniffed, then slowly glanced over. Marble met her eyes, and they communicated a silent message only two sisters could.

"Why did a pony like her move here?"

"This is so exciting!" Crystal said. "So, what's first?"

"I guess I'll give you a tour around the rock farm." Limestone gestured towards the nearby rock field.

"Oh, where are we going to start?" Crystal beamed.

"Over near the rocks." Limestone's face might as well have been stone. "Where else?"

Crystal's smile wavered. "Near the rocks. Right."

Limestone started leading the way, trotting ahead. Quickly, Marble scrambled after her. But not before the outsider matched her stride with a smile.

"Hey, your Marble, right?" Crystal Courage towered over her. Now that Marble was close to her, she realized that she was nearly a head higher than her. Lean muscles packed her body. It was not the powerful, enduring muscle of the Pie family who worked moving rocks for a living, it was the windblown muscle of a runner.

"Mm-hmm." Marble nodded, turning her head away. She focused on her breathing, and wondered when this was all going to be over. With a little luck, Crystal wouldn't keep trying to-

"What's your special talent? Mine is mining." Crystal pounded the ground with a hoof. "If there are precious gems or metals, I will find them!"

Marble glanced over at the flank of Crystal before snapping her head back to stare in front of her. Hopefully she didn't see her look over. Marble had seen a cutie mark of a single rosy gem standing bold against the purple coat. Bordering it was a trim of silver and gold. Marble looked back at her own cutie mark, three dark gray marbles with a darker stripe running through the middle of each one. Bland and boring compared to the vibrant one Crystal had. Once again, she was reminded that Crystal really didn't seem like she belonged here. She was an outsider.

And why did she have to stand so close?

"Not much of a talker? Thats alright, I can talk for both of us." Crystal said.

Marble was really hoping that she would get bored.

"Here we are." Limestone stopped in the middle of the rock field.

Ahead a little way was an old wooden windmill. It was tall and constructed of old sad timbers. Much like the land it resided on, it had clearly seen better days but continued its work, nonetheless. As it spun, it turned a chipped stone grinder on a slightly off balanced track, it was used to grind rocks of course. The whole thing was an open design with no walls or cover from the elements. Its blades spun on and on, in a pointless carousel. They weren't grinding any rocks right now.

"Oh! It's..." Crystal stared at it for a moment. "Spinning?"

"You don't have to pretend to be excited. All we have here is rocks. If you're looking for gems, well, those are deep underground." Limestone knocked a hoof against the hard earth. "Why did you move here anyways? This isn't a place for mining gems."

Marble couldn't help but be a little curious as well. Judging from Crystal's coat and mane, she seemed well taken care of. While strong looking, she didn't have that layer of grime and dust a pony who worked with rocks would have.

"Oh, I just... like the scenery!" Crystal Courage laughed.

Marble narrowed her eyes.

"I guess if you like rocks." Limestone said. "Though I have never met a pony who liked rocks as much as a Pie."

"I love rocks!" Crystal's hooves shifted nervously in the dirt. "Say, what else is on the farm?"

For a moment the two sisters just stared. Marble decided right then and there that it wasn't her problem. Whatever reason Crystal had for coming here, it wouldn't matter once the tour was over.

"Well, follow close and keep your eyes peeled and ready for a sight to amaze." Limestone gestured over her shoulder. "Next stop, more rocks."

And so, they trotted off again.

The rest of the day passed in relative excitement. Unlike the dull, meandering nature of everyday life on the rock farm, Crystal's bubbly attitude lightened up the mood a little. It also made Marble feel like she wanted to shrivel up inside every time Crystal asked her another question she never answered. By the time they walked all the fields looking at the different kinds of rocks, all Marble wanted to do was sleep and forget about Crystal. The setting sun was a boon to her heart and mood. Just a little further and she would be free of the outsider.

After this she could sleep, and in the morning, she could go back to working on her mech. It was just a little longer.

With the sun setting, the trio began making the long walk back to the farmhouse.

"And those were the iron-heavy rocks. They grow three hoof-lengths every season." Limestone grumbled. She had no sign of being tired, even after working and walking all day. Marble could still tell that she was tired though. The subtle lagging step of her hooves and drooping eyes were all too clear to her.

"Fascinating!" Crystal hummed. She didn't look exhausted either. On the contrary, she appeared like she had only grown more energetic. There was a pep in her step that could only be found in one of the Pie family, Pinkie Pie.

At the thought of her sister, Marble turned her head. When would she see her again? Ever since she left, the farm had seemed just a little grayer. She was used to it, but she couldn't help but wonder why Pinkie left them here alone and never seemed to visit.

Marble's hooves dragged in the dirt. Just a little further, and she could go to bed.

"Marble, are you tired?" Crystal's worried eyes met her own for a split second.

"Mm..." Marble shook her head. As if she would let an outsider know she was tired.

"Want me to carry you?"

The question nearly made Marble freeze in her tracks. She thought for a moment, shocked, before a blush painted her cheeks a rosy red. Hiding behind her mane, she scampered behind Limestone like a rabbit, her heart fluttering with rage. A seething huff left her body. How dare she suggest such a thing?

"Did I say something wrong?" Crystal asked.

"Don't give my sis a heart attack, would you? I told you she's shy." Limestone growled. "We Pies prefer to keep our hooves on the ground."

Marble nodded, her blood still racing with embarrassment.

"Well, I'm sorry. I-"

Crystal was interrupted by a noise.

A sound, a haunting sound, echoed over the barren landscape. It wasn't one Marble had heard before, which was strange because she had lived on this farm her whole life.

It started out low, then grew. It was a drawn-out howl. A soul-chilling sound that rose the hair on Marble's back. They all froze and listened to it as it continued. It had a certain tinge to it, as if it didn't come from natural lungs. As if it was fake. When it finally came to an end, the three stood in silence.

Marble's ears flattened. Something deep in her gut was telling her to run.

"Is that normal?" Crystal asked.

"No." Limestone glanced behind her. "Tours over. Pick up the pace."

The three quickened their pace, trotting faster over the fields on the rock farm. As the sun dipped further and further, the feeling in Marble's gut grew. The wind was cold and ominous, and the shadows started to reach towards her as they grew. No longer did the sun warm her coat as the night tightened its icy grip on the world.

"Are there monsters around here?" Crystal had a smile on her face. "Dragons maybe? Or Timberwolves?"

Limestone didn't slow down one bit. "Cragadiles, Diamond Dogs, Quarray eels, nothing that howls and nothing I can't handle."

Marble felt Limestone side up against her. Limestone didn't look at her, but the steadfast, ever-sneering expression on her face said everything. Something was wrong.

"Stay close to me." Limestone said. "No going to your machine tonight either. Ma and Pa and gone right now, so your safety is my responsibility."

Marble nodded hesitantly, a warm feeling glowing in her chest. Sometimes it was easy to forget what was underneath that rocky exterior of Limestone's.

"It's getting really dark." Crystal Courage said, almost giddy. "Do you think whatever that thing is will attack us?"

"Sounds like you want that to happen. Got something to confess?" Limestone snapped.

"I didn't mean it that way. I just- doesn't this remind you of those old fairy tales?" Crystal said. "A howl in the night, a noble trio, and mystery to be solved!"

Marble took another step further away from her. Fairy tales?

"Just walk." Limestone said. "You have further to go than us anyway."

They were nearing the farmhouse now. It was a place that promised safety, and Marble couldn't wait to slam the door shut behind her.

"About that, I was wondering if I could stay the night?" Crystal said. "It's really dark, and to be honest, I don't want to be outside after hearing a howl like that."

"No. Go home." Limestone snapped.

"I promise I'll be quiet. You won't even know I'm there!" Crystal said.

"Nope. Forget it."

Crystal's shoulders slumped. She watched the darkening horizon, eyes darting back and forth.

Marble couldn't help but feel the strings of guilt pull tight in her chest. That pony was an outsider, she shouldn't feel like this. She was a thief, a bully most likely as well. Yet, when she saw the upbeat Crystal's hooves begin to drag, she couldn't help but be reminded of her sister, Pinkie Pie. Why did she care? Pinkie Pie was practically as outsider now as well, leaving her family like that. The Pie family was always supposed to return home eventually.

When she couldn't take the guilt anymore, she nudged Limestone.

"What?" Limestone asked.

Marble glanced towards Crystal, then towards the farmhouse.

"No sis, that's the family farmhouse. She's got a house. It'll be fine."

Marble narrowed her eyes, then glanced towards the farmhouse again.

"Ugh. Fine." Limestone said. "Crystal, you can stay the night. But don't touch anything in the house!"

Crystal perked up immediately, blue eyes sparkling with joy. "You can count on me! Thank you!"

Marble sighed, wondering why she did that. Even if Crystal was an outsider, she didn't want her to get hurt. Nopony deserved to get hurt, especially one that reminded her of Pinkie Pie. As her thoughts wandered, she couldn't help but think back to that howl she heard.

It might have just been her cog-addled brain, but Marble couldn't have sworn the howl sounded almost... mechanical. Artificial. Not quite natural.

"Thank you, Marble." Crystal's voice whispered into her ear. "I saw that."

"Mm-!" Marble jumped, blood racing at the sudden voice. She scurried away, hiding behind her long mane.

"Stop scaring my sis!" Limestone growled. "Or I'm kicking your flank out."

"Sorry!" Crystal smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry Marble. I won't do it again."

After shaking out her coat, Marble nodded, her heart still racing at the fright. She couldn't wait to just be done with this and get back to working on her mech. Things were so much simpler when it was just you, steel, gems, and an assortment of magic spells that spun the barrels of a nine-hundred rounds per minute magic blaster. The thought of that cheered her up a little. There was just something about shooting the blaster that made her feel alive.

"I think that we could be great friends!" Crystal beamed. "A fellowship, if you would."

Marble shuddered. Anything but that.

A distant howl sent another shiver down her spine.

Ok, maybe not anything.

Chapter Two- Insomnia

Dinner was something strange, awkward, nerve wracking, and much louder than normal.

Marble sat at the long old wooden table that had been in the family for generations. It had no tablecloth, for what use was a tablecloth to a farm pony? It wasn't necessary, and so it didn't exist on the farm. The farmhouse was much the same, with walls bare other than a few scattered portraits of their family. The only real landmark of the dining room was the large window, currently curtained over with stained purple cloth.

Outside, a heavy rain had started. It thrummed against the roof, which stood fast against the deluge.

"So, you eat rocks here?" Crystal held up her rock. "Is it safe to eat?"

"Mm-hmm." Marble's gaze was firmly locked onto her meal, a simple concoction of a rock in pea-green liquid. A classic Pie recipe. Rock soup. Hopefully if she stared at her soup hard enough Crystal wouldn't talk to her again.

"If you don't want it, don't eat it." Limestone chomped down on her rock, crushing it to dust.

Crystal stared at the rock for a moment then shrugged before biting down. There was a terrible scraping noise and a hiss of pain. "That- that's really hard."

Marble bit down on her own rock, channeling the earth pony magic she had flowing through her body. With ease it reached her teeth, a path it had taken thousands of times, and she chewed the rock down like an apple. High in calcite today it seemed. It was Limestone's favorite. As for her, it was okay.

"Ha! Forgot how soft the townsfolk are." Limestone said. "If you haven't been farming rocks, then you can't eat rocks."

"So, it comes with the family?" Crystal asked. "Marble can do it too."

Marble shook her head.

"Any earth pony can do it. Just got to be tough." Limestone said. "We don't have anything soft in this house to eat, you will just have to drink the broth."

The rest of the dinner passed in relative silence. Marble tried to calm her nerves by focusing on the meal, but it didn't help much. She kept telling herself that it was just a little longer and then the outsider would be gone. Then she could get back to her mech.

"I have another question if you don't mind." Crystal Courage pointed a hoof towards the kitchen. "What is that?"

Sitting on the kitchen counter was a device. Marble's heart froze at the sight of it. She had forgotten that she had left it at the house. It wasn't anything special, just an automatic rock grinder, but it was something. It was something that could be seen. Something of hers that could be stolen.

Marble started to think and panic all at the same time. What if Crystal stole it, then went on to steal her mech? Something similar had happened before. It couldn't be allowed to happen again-

"Don't worry about it." Limestone said. "Think it's time for bed anyway. Lots of work to do tomorrow. And if you're staying tonight, you're working tomorrow."

"Genuine rock farm work? Exciting!" Crystal clapped her hooves together. "Where am I sleeping?"

"Up to you. Us sisters usually sleep in the same room. Parents aren't here, so I guess you can take their bed." Limestone shrugged then stood up. "Night."

"I will sleep with you two, it'll be a sleepover!" Crystal hopped to her hooves. "Wait for me!"

"Please, please no." Marble could feel horror flooding her body as Crystal followed Limestone upstairs. Would there be no escape from this nightmare?

Having been left alone at the table, Marble quickly trotted over to the kitchen counter. She stuffed the device away into a drawer, moving some pans in front of it to hide it. Hopefully that would deter anypony from getting any ideas. With that in place, she relaxed her shoulders a little.

Alone in the dining room, she took a moment to relax. Her eyes closed, and a shaky breath left her body. It was hard being around an outsider, they caused her gut to churn, and who knew when they would try and make a grab at one of her creations? At the very least, Crystal did seem okay for one of them. She was cheery and seemed honest enough. Even though her reason for coming here was shaky at best.

There was a light tap at the window.

Marble's eyes snapped open. That didn't sound like the rain. She listened closely, heart thrumming in her chest. And yet, there wasn't anything more.

The sudden jolt of adrenaline guided her towards the stairs. She scrambled up them, silently hoping that it really was just the rain.

"-and this here is the bedroom." Limestone's voice came from up ahead. "If you want to sleep in here, take Pinkie's old bed. She doesn't use it anymore."

"Pinkie?" Crystal asked.

"My younger sis, she moved out. Don't ask about it." Limestone huffed as she stood in the doorway to the bedroom. "Night, I'm chipped."

"Mm!" Marble came up the stairs, poking her sister in the back.

"What?" Limestone turned.

"Outside. Something." Marble whispered; her voice soft as a falling feather.

"Something outside? You sure sis?" Limestone growled.

"I'm not sure."

"If it's not just the rain, whatever is out there is going to find out why Limestone Pie runs this farm." Limestone's face pulled into a wrathful sneer.

"What's going on?" Crystal came back out of the bedroom.

"Marble thinks there is something outside." Limestone said. "With those howls about, I don't want to take-"

The sound of shattered glass came from downstairs. Immediately, a rush of wind and rain filled the halls of the farmhouse. The thrumming noise of rain heightened from a droning hum to a ravenous roar. Heavy steps stomped on floorboards, scraping with a predatory hurry.

They all froze.

"What was that?" Crystal broke the tense silence.

Marble took a step away from the stairway. Blood and adrenaline were pumping through her veins. Magic flowed with it, strengthening her muscles and heightening her senses. Previous exhaustion forgotten in the tide of ancient instinct; every muscle was primed to run.

"Shut your traps." Limestone hissed in a low tone. "Everypony get inside the bedroom. We-"

An artificial, warbling screech interrupted her.

Marble's eyes snapped towards the staircase, and then she could see what was racing up them.

It wasn't a living thing, but it wasn't quite entirely dead either. In some ways it looked like a giant cat, lithe and lean as an arrow, but that is where the similarities to life ended. Instead of fur, black steel plates covered its body. Gears just beyond its metal skin clicked and shifted with dark machination.

Bladed sabers for teeth stuck out from its iron jaw, stained and rusted over with a hateful black ichor. Where the powerful claws of its four manufactured legs touched the stubborn wood, chips were sent flying. Behind its sharp, coarse, black metal plated body, three whip-like cords of tails flailed behind it, topped with spearing spikes. The scent of rust filled the air, invading Marble's senses.

And its eyes, they did not just stare, they hated. Their analytical red glow was filled with nothing more than malice.

As it charged, Marble found herself frozen. The thing shocked her with its dark beauty and grace. It was a whirling congregation of cogs and metal. They all worked together, moving its legs in a false imitation of life. It was a masterpiece of mockery, what could have created such a horrifyingly beautiful piece of art?

"MOVE!" Limestone shoved her, snapping her out of her stupor.

The next moment, everything came rushing back to Marble. And with it, a rush of terror filling her veins. The thing was already upon her, leaping towards her. She felt small in that moment, staring into its hateful iris. Marble was turning, trying to get her hooves to move faster, but she knew she wouldn't make it.

"MOVE SIS!" Limestone growled like an angry dog, leaping in front of her and pivoting on her front hooves. Her rear end was swung around towards the leaping beast.

It closed in, jaws open. Then, Limestone lashed out like a viper with her back hooves. With stone-crushing power, the ground-quaking buck caught it in the face, snapping its head back. The metal on its forehead dented inward and it tumbled down the stairs with a cacophony of banging metal and cracking wood. It pulled itself back up, gears clicking and its three tails lashing before pointing towards them, tipped with wicked spikes.

Marble took the hint to run, only looking back to make sure Limestone was following her. Adrenaline making every movement jerky, she slammed the door to the bedroom shut as Limestone ran inside. The beds were thrown in front of the door, creating a pile of wood in front of it.

"What is Celestia's name is that ugly flank?!" Limestone yelled, breathing quickened. "Marble? Are you okay? Is that yours?"

Marble nodded to the first question then shook her head rapidly to the next. In a whisper-like shaky voice she said, "I'm okay. It's not mine."

"Not yours, why would it be yours?" Crystal was breathing heavily, her eyes locked on the door. "And what is that thing? It's made of metal!"

Marble couldn't help but feel a spike of nervousness at the question, even with the overwhelming urge to get away. Nopony could know about her creations.

"Stop asking questions, we need to get out of here." Limestone threw another piece of furniture in front of the door. "That-"

The door shook as the machine slammed into it. An infernal, warbling screeching perforated the air. Then, one of the thing's tails punched through the door, stabbing into a dresser before retreating like a viper. Limestone stumbled away from the door.

"What do we do?" Crystal asked, sounding oddly excited. "It is definitely coming in here."

Those words nearly made Marble scream. Her whole body shook with unreleased energy, her heart was pounding in her chest in sync with her head. All the while, she couldn't help but marvel at the thing hunting them. It was a brilliant symphony of metal and cog.

She glanced around the bedroom. Other than the overturned beds and cloth, there wasn't much. The only thing that caught her eyes was the window.

Marble ran over to it, nearly falling over her own hooves as she did. With a jerk she undid the latch, then flung the window open. Rain and wind swept into the room in an angry tide, staining her and the floor wet. It wasn't just raining tonight, it was pouring.

"Seems like that's the only way out." Limestone gestured to the window.

"It's going to catch us if we run, you saw how fast that thing was." Crystal said. "We should fight it."

"Fight it? Maybe if we had three of me." Limestone sneered, the subtle curling of her lip betraying her true emotion.

Marble could tell, they were all scared. It was a stench that filled the room, muddled only by water and wind. If only she had her mech, they could get rid this thing. At that thought, she turned to look at Crystal. No. Nopony could see her creations. They would steal them; they would ridicule and spit.

The door shook, cracking. The barrier buckled, bedframes and wardrobes being pushed aside. Behind the wood, gleaming red eyes hungered in tune with creaking metal.

"I'll distract it." Crystal stood taller, white mane billowing in the whipping wind. Her tone was even, if not slightly somber. "When I get its attention, you two run."

Marble shook her head. Who would be willing to sacrifice themselves for ponies they just met?

"That thing is going to catch you." Limestone pointed out.

"What else are we going to do?" Crystal Courage smiled. "This is my calling, high adventure!"

"You're not making any sense." Limestone said.

"Don't you see it? Three friends, a fellowship, and a noble sacrifice. It's just like in the old tales." Crystal Courage's body shook with adrenaline.

Marble tugged on her, shaking her head. "Don't."

"So, you can speak?" Crystal laughed. "Then, remember me, dear Marble. Remember the tale of Crystal Courage!"

"You're going to-" Limestone stopped, cut off once again.

Crystal Courage leapt through the open window. She barely fit through but cleared the windowsill in one leap. Falling from the second story window, she hit the ground with a thump. In a moment she was up again, swamped by mud and rain. As she stood again, mane billowing, Marble was reminded of a fairy tale knight of old.

"Hey! I'm outside, you metal monster!" Crystal screamed over the rain. "Come and get me!"

At first, the machine continued to slam against the barricade. Then, it suddenly stopped. The sound of claws on wood erupted in a frenzy of movement.

"Run!" Marble screamed. The volume was unnatural to her throat, pulling on used vocal words and wearing them dry in moments.

At her words, Crystal Courage started running. Her lean, strong, and tall body worked her hooves faster and faster. She ran, wind in her wake, and behind her, hell followed.

Exploding out of the farmhouse was the machine. Its tails lashed as its augmented paws slammed against the mud. It darted after her, matching her speed stride for stride.

Crystal disappeared into the wind and rain, the night swallowing her whole.

Marble stared after her, a wrenching feeling in her gut. This wasn't her land; it should have been her out there. Not some outsider.

"Stupid, brave and stupid." Limestone shook her head, then tugged on Marble. "Let's get out of here. If we run, we can make it to Rockville."

"Will she be, okay?" Marble asked, already knowing the answer. Flesh could not hope to outlast steel.

"Maybe." Limestone frowned and her face hardened. "Come on sis, lets scram. She is buying us time, best not to waste it."

Marble reluctantly followed Limestone downstairs. They traveled down the shredded staircase and through the ravaged kitchen. The sheer power behind the machine was made clear through the ripped lines in the wood. Marble could only imagine what those claws would do to flesh...

"Run sis!" Limestone barked at they reached the ripped open front door. "Stop thinking and start running!"

The rain swallowed Marble whole as she started running. It pelted her, and in seconds her coat was soaked through. It was dark as pitch, clouds overhead blocking out all light. As if angry as her arrival, the dark clouds began to seethe with lighting. An ear shattering boom echoed across the landscape as thunder sounded and lighting flashed. Wrath crackled in the air.

Her hurried hooves slipped in the mud as she ran, but she managed to stay upright. Slipping and stumbling, she followed the fleeting flashes of Limestone's tail through the brewing storm.

She half expected the machine to come out of the storm, pounding towards her with bared claws. Yet, it didn't. All that existed in that moment was her aching muscles, gasping breath, and the mud beneath her hooves. Ahead there was the path to Rockville.

Yet, she couldn't stop her thoughts. They were leaving Crystal behind. Even if she was an outsider, they were leaving her to die. Marble slowed to a trot, breathing heavily. If she got to her mech, maybe she could use it to save Crystal.

It would be seen though. Her heart and soul would be seen. They could take it, steal it and pass it off as their own. Then, then they would blame and ridicule her. She could hear their voices now, swirling in her head like the dark clouds above.

"Marble! Get moving!" Limestone skidded to a stop in the mud. "That thing could be right behind us!"

"Mech." Marble wheezed. "Save Crystal."

"What?" Limestone said. "No, we are getting out of here. I'm not letting you risk your life."

Marble's head drooped as rain washed over her. All her life she could never speak up for herself. She preferred it in a way, to let her sisters speak for her. Now though, there were lives on the line, and she had a way to save them. If her creation could save a life, then maybe it would be worth being spat on again. Maybe it would be worth having one more thing stolen.

"I'm going." Marble turned, even against the constricting desire to keep running away.

"Sis. You're my responsibility. You-" Limestone's words faded as Marble took off running into the rain. "Wait!"

Wreathed in rain, Marble galloped towards the cave her mech was in. All the while, a single thought spun endlessly in her head.

"Is my heart and soul really worth the life of an outsider?"

Chapter Three- MARBLE-01

The cave of her deliverance stared her down, dark and baleful. It was familiar, yet at this moment, it felt foreign. Marble's hooves had walked this path her entire life. At the end of the tunnel was her creation, her soul, and her pride. The reality of what she was about to do began to set in, sinking into her as the rain did her coat.

They would see. Even now she could feel the eyes pricking into her, boring into her, judging her. The phantoms gathered around her soul, taking and stealing until there was nothing left but resentment.

Well, there is one thing they would never take, that they would never see. Or at least, that is what Marble had planned.

She pushed forward into the cave.

"Marble!" Limestone ran up behind her, gasping for breath. "What are you doing, you rockhead!"

"Saving Crystal." Marble walked, and as she did lights overhead turned on, illuminating the path ahead.

"I'm glad your showing ponies your stuff again sis, but this isn't the time!" Limestone said. "We need to get out of here."

"No, Lime." Marble stepped into the larger cavern which held her workshop. "This is the only time."

She was staring at it now, her soul. It was the same as the last time she saw it, standing on two sturdy steel legs, right arm primed with the triple blaster while the other was equipped with the two-pronged jolt thrower. Its sturdy enchanted steel remained steadfast, holding up its four-pony tall frame.

"You think you can take that thing?" Limestone frowned. "I know your machine is strong but... what if it fails? I can't let anything happen to you. And your machine, what if it breaks? You spent your whole life making that, are you really going to risk it breaking?"

"Mmm." Marble couldn't help but resonate with the murmurings. This machine was her whole life practically. She could remember twisting screws on its legs, injecting its artificial crystal wire veins with Pinkie's bubbling gem solution brew, hammering away dents in steel plates she forged herself. There were so many memories laden in its steel. Everypony in the Pie family had contributed something to it through idea or hoof-work, though Marble was the one who created it. This was more than just a machine; it was her soul.

Yet, there was somepony in need. Even if it was an outsider, how could she let a pony die knowing she could have done something about it?

"Value." Marble whispered. "A life is worth more."

She forced her frozen legs to move towards the mech.

"Sis..." Limestone trailed off, face pulling into a half-grimace, half-worried expression. As always, it was impossible for Limestone to make any expression other than some variant of a hostile one. "Don't make me drag you out of here."

Marble approached the legs of the mech, deciding to ignore Limestone for now. She went to the back of it, then placed her hooves on a small ledge on the back of the legs. Stepping up, she reached up towards a square steel hatch. With a deft practiced movement, she slipped a hoof beneath a hidden compartment. She flipped a small lever, and the hatch opened with a hiss of unpressurized air like the sigh of a dragon. Inside, a dark confined chamber was revealed, big enough for only one pony to fit.

As she stepped up into it, nervous fear and pumping adrenaline alike surging through her body, Limestone grabbed her back hooves.

"Sis! You're not going out there!" Limestone snarled.

"Lime..." Marble didn't even try to struggle, instead meeting her eyes.

"I'm not losing you." Limestone hugged her tighter. "Especially not while I'm in charge of the farm!"

"I'm not going to die." Marble said. "Please, trust me. Trust in what I have created. We can't let that thing kill Crystal, and we can't let it drive us off the farm."

Limestone met her eyes. For a long moment the two stared at each other, each unwilling to budge. Then, Limestone's scowl slowly deepened. "You better not get hurt, or I'm hitting you over the head with a rock. Iron-based rock. Hard."

"Mm-hmm." Marble hummed, nodding to her sister. "I'll be okay."

When Limestone reluctantly released her, Marble hugged her back. For a moment she relished in the feeling of being close. Yet, there was not much time to waste. With one last nod, Marble stepped up into the open hatch.

She climbed into the dark compartment. The interior had a soft black cushion which she quickly laid down on. Front facing and laying on her belly, she could access everything in the cockpit with comfort. With a press of an overhead button hidden in the dark, the hatch closed shut behind her. A hiss sounded as it closed, sealing shut and locking itself into place. Pitch-black darkness shrouded her.

"I got this." Marble whispered to herself. Inside her mech, she felt powerful. Nopony could see her now, nopony could judge her, and she was in charge of her creation.

She flipped a few switches, knowing them even in the dark. The mech began to hiss like a waking dragon as magic flowed through crystal wires. The suspension of the machine jolted as it reconnected, causing a slight dip before it righted itself. Then, a familiar mechanized voice came through the speaker system.

"Booting up, running system diagnosis. Main core charge- 37%. Right blaster charge- 87%. Left jolt thrower charge- 80%. System integrity- 100%."

As the mechanized voice of Pinkie Pie rang through the cockpit, the slumbering giant awakened.

Green light filled the dark interior of the cockpit. Levers and buttons began to glow as magic flowed through the circuitry. Two joysticks sprang into view, weaved in amongst what seemed like a thousand tiny switches on a central control board directly in front of her.

The solid steel plating in front of her blocked her view until an inlaid spell on the metal worked its magic. It shimmered, and then, it seemed to disappear from sight. While still cloaked in darkness, Marble could still see outside of the mech. It was a one-way spell, a spell that allowed a pony to see through something, but nothing on the other side could see in.

This was where she was meant to be. Amongst her treasured creations, where no pony could judge her.

Magic filled her mech like lifeblood, and Marble's heart thrummed along to its awakening.

"MARBLE-01, All systems fully operational."

"This is stupid." Limestone was sitting in front of the mech.

Marble flipped on the frontal floodlights, blasting the area with intense white light. How dare she call her mech stupid?

"Are you done blinding me?" Limestone turned her head away. "Stupid one-way metal. I know your laughing at me right now."

Marble pressed a button with her hoof, all the while laying down on the plush black cushion inside. The speaker systems activated, projecting her voice outside the mech. "No making fun of MARBLE, ok?"

"I dug up most of the ore and gems for MARBLE. I can make fun of her all I want." Limestone nibbled on her hooves; an action uncanny for Marble to see. "You're going to be okay, right?"

"I'm going to be fine." Marble flipped another switch, and a padded metal grate came down from overhead. It held her in place, securing her to the cushion snugly.

"I'm going to follow you on hoof." Limestone said. "Next to the mech's... what did you call it again? A foot?"

"Yes. A foot." Marble grabbed the joysticks with her hooves, the latent magic within every pony allowing her to manipulate them with ease. "Make sure to follow behind. I don't want to accidentally step on you."

"You always get so talkative in there." Limestone said.

"Mm-hmm." Marble hummed. "I'm going to start moving. Are you sure you don't want to stay behind? It would be safer."

"I'll go." Limestone said. "Have to make sure you don't get in trouble."

"Make sure to stay back."

"Who's in charge now?" Limestone huffed.

"MARBLE is. Now, let's go save Crystal."

Marble pushed on the joysticks, and her mech began to move.

The first step of the heavy flat foot slammed onto stone. The suspension hissed, cogs whirred, and plates slid with the movement. MARBLE walked forward on two steel legs, steadily striding through the tunnel. Lights came on as it walked, even though they were not needed. The two frontal floodlights saturated the tunnel with plenty of near-blinding light.

Marble would have been nauseous at the rocking motion of her mech were she not used to it. It lurched forward with each heavy step. The hissing stemmed to no more than a subtle murmur as she continued to move, the machine stabilizing itself with every step.

"How are we going to find her?" Limestone yelled.

That was a good question. There was no good way to figure out where Crystal had gone. She could be anywhere.

"Hope." Marble could feel the word sit heavily in her chest. All they could do was hope that they would find her in time. If not...

To that, Limestone said nothing.

Marble strode out into the rain. The storm battered her mech to no avail. She was perfectly protected from any of the surging winds and water. Limestone on the other hoof looked absolutely miserable. She was soaked once more, her mane saturated and heavy with water.

Unfortunately, there was no more room in the mech. Otherwise, Marble would have given her a seat.

From up high, Marble could see more. It was one of the reasons she built the mech standing up. Even with that though, she could see nothing beyond the floodlights of the mech. It illuminated the falling rain, each droplet a testament to the wrath of the storm.

With nowhere in particular to go, Marble headed in the direction she hoped was the farmhouse. It was somewhere to start at the very least. She had to move quick. Each second was another screw in the fabrication of Crystal's fate. There could be no dalliance.

Her stomach churned and her body shook with nerves. The beast she was up against was a complete unknown. Based on its movements it seemed agile and fast. Her mech was much slower, and harder to turn. If she was going to win, then she would need to exercise her ranged capabilities. The only problem was... where was it?

"Where are we headed?" Limestone yelled over the rain.

"Farmhouse. When we get there, try to be quiet." Marble felt a spike of panic at her commanding tone, but reminded herself that she was in her mech. She was in control.

"MARBLE really fires you up, doesn't it sis?" Limestone laughed. "If only you could speak like that normally I wouldn't have to do all the talking."

The floodlights illuminated the farmhouse. It was as trashed as they left it. The familiar and well-loved wood was torn open. Water and wind had thrown around the things inside their family home. It was in ruin. The sight of it fired a shot of rage right into Marble's blood, a feeling foreign to her. This was her home, and that thing had ruined it. She was going to enjoy scrapping the cat and using its parts to pay for repairs.

"See anything?"

"Nothing!" Limestone was already poking around the area. "Any tracks are already washed away."

Marble felt dread pool deeper in her chest. Maybe they were already too late. Maybe Crystal was already...

No. She had to keep looking. With a silent nod to herself, she pressed a button and popped open the hatch to the mech. Rain soaked the cockpit, but she didn't care, it was all waterproof and she was already wet anyways. Marble climbed out the back, but instead of jumping to the ground, she climbed on top of her mech.

"What are you doing up there?" Limestone asked.

Marble sat on top of the mech and looked around. From up here she had a much better view. There was just a little moonlight seeping through the clouds. Invisible when directly around you, but barely noticeable when looking at the whole of the landscape. She surveyed the area, her eyes narrowed against the rain.

It was empty. Dark and empty. Unfeeling and cold. The moonlight barely wanted to touch it.

Then, like the flicker of a dying ember, Marble saw a flash of red in the distance.

"I see it." Marble carefully climbed back down from her mech and reentered the cockpit. The hatch hissed shut behind her, enclosing her in the mech's maw once more.

"Y-You see it?" Limestone's voice shook for half a second before going back to that gruff tone she knew all too well. "Now what? Just go and kick its flank?"

"Mm-hmm."

Marble moved her mech towards where the flash came from. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her gut churning with nervousness. She took a breath to calm herself, focusing on the feeling of the mech around her. She was safe, she was in control. She was powerful.

"You should stay here. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll hang back. You're not getting rid of me easily." Limestone said.

With that said, Marble drove her mech forwards. The red light grew closer with each heavy step. Ahead, the sound of mechanized yowling and howling pierced through drum of rain.

Maniacal laughter came from ahead. "You will never get me, beast!"

That had to be Crystal. The sound seemed to be coming from above and up ahead, which was strange. It gave her a flicker of hope.

Marble cut the lights on her mech. Plunged into darkness, she strode forward, intent on catching the thing off guard. The yowling increased as she approached, the red glow like a dark star guiding her way. She moved with bated breath, hoof hovering over a trigger on the controls.

When all that separated her from the red glow was a curtain of darkness, Marble hovered a hoof over the button to turn on the lights. With a single breath to calm herself, Marble narrowed her eyes. Then, she turned on the lights.

White light blasted outward. It illuminated one of the legs of the old windmill. Suddenly it made sense on why Crystal's voice was coming from above.

Then Marble saw it.

The machine was clawing its way up the wooden leg of the windmill. As the light blasted it, its red eyes turned to face her. Glowing with smoldering hatred, they stared. Black steel fangs were borne and its three tails pointed towards her, writhing like a pit of snakes.

Adrenaline rushed through Marble's veins like never before. For just a second she was frozen, looking into the eyes of the machine. It was frozen as well, as if surprised to see the mech facing it. Two mechanical oddities in this world, fascinated with the other. If this was another situation, she might have tried to speak to it.

Then she saw Crystal Courage, clinging to the leg of the windmill, far up and off the ground. She had her hooves wrapped around it, her body shaking. She looked exhausted.

The sight knocked Marble out of her stupor. She channeled all her rage and desire at what this thing made her do. It destroyed her farmhouse, it made her reveal her creation, it tried to kill Crystal, and it nearly hurt her sister. Nopony hurt her sister. She gathered every bit of courage she could muster, and her limbs moved once again.

Marble squeezed the trigger.

The barrels of the triple-blaster started to spin, rapidly gaining speed with a whir. Then, they started to spit.

A shower of prismatic magic bolts erupted from the blaster. The beast screamed a warbling cry as the bolts scorched its metal hide, reeling back and away from the windmill. It rolled away from the hail, red eyes flashing as the magic ripped it to shreds. Mud and water went flying from where bolts hit the ground, showering the area in a curtain.

Marble grinned, a surge of wicked energy filling her. She imagined that the beast was one of those two brothers. Those brothers who stole from her, ridiculed her. With this power in her hooves, what could stop her?

The beast ran, metal claws digging into the dirt. It swerved from the oncoming fire, harried by magic, and disappeared into the murk.

Marble cursed under her breath as it disappeared into the darkness. She couldn't see it now other than a red glow from its eyes. Steeling her nerves, she marched the mech forward.

As she stomped forward, the red light vanished. Marble stopped her mech, unnerved. She didn't think it would run away that easily. It was a machine, one that tried to kill her, it didn't make sense for it to give up. Something was off, and a Pie always trusted their instincts.

Marble cut the lights to her mech, enveloping the area in inky darkness again. Then she began to shuffle to the side. Her mech didn't have spectacular sideways mobility, but it could shuffle at the very least. Maybe if she took an unexpected angle, she could catch it off guard.

For a moment Marble thought the maneuver pointless. The thing really didn't seem to be returning.

Then, the ominous red glow appeared amongst the rain. It soared forward, flying through the air. Marble hit the lights again, panic filling her chest as it came towards her.

The beast pounced, a powerful leap that sent it sailing through the air. It slammed into the side of her mech with a monstrous clang, missing its center due only to the darkness and shifted position. Claws ripped into the hull with the sound of shearing metal and its jaws crushed into the blaster arm.

Marble shook in her mech, rapidly righting it before it fell over. She blasted with the arm only to meet open air; the beast was too close.

Panic and fury filling her chest, Marble grit her teeth and activated the other arm. Its twin prongs crackled with electricity. A ball of crackling lighting formed between the prongs, and she drove it into the side of the beast. The prongs impaled its side, sizzling circuits with the smell of burning ozone and sheared steel.

With a glitching howl, the beast tried to pull away. Its flashing claws ripped scores into metal, but it was of no use. Its three tails speared at the mech, only to go careening off the thick armor.

Marble drove the prong deeper, then pulled the beast off her mech. She stabbed its body into the ground, pinning it in place.

The beast kicked at her, cogs clicking in a frenzy. Its jaws latched onto her mech's leg.

Then Marble lifted her other foot and stomped onto it. The stomp crushed its back legs to scrap, crushing steel with enchanted steel.

Black liquid spilled from its body, coating its black metal hide. It looked like a mockery of a wounded animal. With one last surge of effort, the beast ripped itself free from the prong, and started to crawl in a frenzy. If it felt pain, it certainly wasn't showing it.

Marble aimed her blaster at its crawling form, a wicked glee filling her. It began to whir, the barrels spinning, and then it showered its crawling form with magic. She kept firing, ripping metal with magic, tearing cog from creation. From the other arm she released a jolt of arced lighting, blasting its back. An explosion of ruptured metal lit up the night, blue and orange with hostility. When Marble finally stopped firing, it was nothing more than a pile of assorted parts.

She breathed heavily, blood racing through her veins. Her hooves shook, filled with energy. Sweat dripped from her body. Her mane stuck to the half of her face it covered. Her coat tingled; her heart thundered in her chest like the rage of the storm.

She had done it; she had killed the thing. Marble could barely believe it.

That felt good. Terrifying, but good.

It was a shame to destroy such a beautiful machine, but it had to be done. It had nothing on her dear MARBLE-01, but it was impressive, nonetheless.

Then it hit her with a jolt, was Crystal alright? Marble popped the hatch to her mech, the storm instantly washed away the sweat on her body.

"Marble? Are you alright?" Limestone came running up from behind. Her hooves wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'm good." Marble let out a shaky sigh. "Where is Crystal?"

"I'm right here..." Crystal's voice came from behind her.

Marble turned.

Crystal was standing next to her mech. She looked tired, her body bruised and covered with mud, but the expression on her face told another story. It was filled not with resentment, not with fear, but with... awe? For a moment dread filled Marble. She was going to steal her mech, wasn't she? She was going to steal her-

"This is yours?" Crystal shouted as she stumbled forward, slipping in the mud. She flopped onto the ground. "Ouch..."

Marble said nothing. How could she convince her that the mech wasn't hers? Nopony could know. It wouldn't be safe for somepony to know. They would steal it.

"Let's get back to the farmhouse sis. And Crystal." Limestone sneezed, her face scrunching up into a grimace. "You two rockheads need to get out of this rain. Not that I need to. I could stay out here all night."

"You... saved me. Thank you." Crystal's stare locked onto Marble. The pointed look bared into her, and without being in her mech Marble suddenly felt very exposed once more.

"Mm..." Marble hummed and turned her gaze to the side, hiding her face behind her mane. Her secret was out, and an outsider was staring at her. Crystal knew her secret, a secret she swore not to tell any outsider for the rest of her existence. The last time she had done so, it had ended only in misery.

The heat of the battle was fading, and she was starting to feel very, very cold.

Chapter Four- Maintenance

Marble woke up in a cold sweat and with a pounding head.

She was laying in her bed, having woken up in the middle of the night from a fitful sleep. With a groan Marble rolled over.

That was when she saw who was in the room with her. Crystal was snoring in one of the beds, deaf to the world. Limestone was much the same. In sleep however, the permeant scowl on her face was relaxed. It was a rare sight.

The events of the previous day hit Marble full force. The mechanical beast, the storm, Crystal, they all came flooding back. She closed her eyes at the thought. For a moment she laid in bed. She didn't feel great and the weight of almost dying sat heavily on her, but she was alive and that was what mattered.

When they got back to the farmhouse they decided to sleep first before doing anything else. It was a decision based on exhaustion. She had left her mech outside though, and she needed to make sure it was ok.

Marble forced herself to her hooves. Silently as possible, as to not wake the sleeping, she made her way downstairs.

The entire farmhouse was still trashed. Splinters and strewn about bowls covered the floor. The central table was thrown to the side, and there were holes in the walls. The window was smashed inward which had coated the floor in sharp glass. And the door... there was no door.

Marble could feel that ember of rage smoldering inside her again. This was her home, and it had been effectively destroyed. It could be repaired, but it would take some time and resources.

To calm herself, Marble skirted the devastation and stepped outside.

The moon was out tonight, and the rain had stopped. It was bright and clear, like a polished pearl. It looked a little too clear for some reason, but the thought of why didn't cross her mind. There were thousands of tiny stars in the sky, each one glittering. A cold wind blew, and silence reigned.

Just outside, her mech stood solemnly. The sight of it calmed her. Nopony had stolen it during the night. It was not damaged too badly either. There were scars in its hull from where the beast had dug its claws in, but it was superficial damage at best. MARBLE had endured well. The damage made her fume, but at the very least her mech wasn't a pile of scrap.

Now that she knew her mech was safe and she wasn't running or fighting for her life, Marble could finally think.

What was that thing? That beast of a machine. Machines didn't just come out of nowhere, they had to be created. They had to be loved and nurtured into existence. Something or somepony had created that and designed it to kill ponies. They had skill too, skill beyond her. To create a fully functioning self-driving machine was something Marble couldn't even begin to imagine how to do.

Who made that thing?

There was nothing to go off of. To throw guesses at the void was not a path she wanted to take. If she wanted to know who made it, she would have to start at the source. The machine itself. The urge to rip what was left of it apart and examine it was already causing her hooves to itch with anticipation.

Marble glanced back at the farmhouse. It would probably freak Limestone out if she wasn't there when she woke up, so maybe she would hold off on going back to the machine's body for now.

To her surprise, there was a pony standing in the doorway.

"Hey." Crystal Courage was standing in the doorway. "It's the middle of the night you know."

"Mm..." Marble hummed, turning her head.

An awkward silence passed between the two. The presence of the mech behind Marble was suddenly very noticeable. It was obvious that she was the owner of the mech.

"You saved me. I wanted to thank you." Crystal stepped forward then pointed towards the mech. "I have to ask though... what is that?"

Marble didn't know what to say. She couldn't say anything, the words died in her throat.

"I know you can speak, Marble. Why won't you talk to me?" Crystal came closer, towering over her. "Speak to me, please."

"Sorry..." Marble said in a soft voice. She didn't know why she was apologizing.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Marble whimpered, her chest squeezing. Why was she so pathetic?

"Hey Marble." Crystal smiled. "Let's be friends, okay? You can be comfortable around me."

With no other option available, Marble hesitantly nodded.

"Awesome!" Crystal beamed. "Now, you have to tell me about that thing you have. What is it? Where did you get it?"

"...I made it." Marble forced the words out. The secret that she had it was out anyways.

"Made it? How?"

"Steel. Magic gems." Marble said.

"So, you built it from scratch? I've never seen anything like it before in my life." Crystal said. "So, what was that beast then? Did you make that too?"

"No!" Marble shook her head. "I don't know what that thing was. It's not mine."

"So, an unexpected threat then?" Crystal said. "Three new adventurers, a device of great power, and an evil rising up that they must face..."

Marble didn't know what she was talking about.

"You know what that means, my friend?" Crystal asked.

Marble shook her head. "N-No."

"We have to investigate. We have to find out what is going on and solve it!" Crystal said. "It's a tale as old as time. Three new heroes. Three new friends. Three-"

A stomp stopped Crystal mid-sentence. Standing in the doorway was Limestone, her face scrunched up into a scowl.

"Nopony is going near that thing." Limestone looked terrible, her voice was scratchy and there were dark bags beneath her eyes. "Especially not when the farmhouse needs to be put back together."

"We should do something about that beast!" Crystal said.

"It's dead. There isn't much more to it." Limestone huffed. "Are you okay, did you get hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine." Crystal said.

"Marble?"

"I'm okay." Marble said.

"At least we have that." Limestone sighed. "Before anything, this place needs to be picked up. This farmhouse is my responsibility, and I can't have it trashed like this."

"But the beast!" Crystal said.

"Crystal, maybe you should just go home. You helped us, and I..." Limestone struggled to find the words. "...thank you... but your brother is probably worried. Best head home and let him know you're alright."

"Leave?" Crystal said. "But I can help pick up around here! And it's the middle of the night!"

"Somepony should tell the town what happened." Limestone said.

"Only five ponies live in Rockville!"

"Fine. But you're helping around here then. I was trying to give you a way to take a break, but if you don't want it..." Limestone shook her head with a sigh. "Start by picking up the kitchen. Thats where the most damage is."

"You can count on me!" Crystal cheered right back up. "Come morning, right?"

"Come morning." Limestone snorted.

Marble wasn't sure if that pony was real. How could she have so much energy? She nearly died and now she was already running around like nothing had happened. Marble felt like she would fall over any second.

"Thank you." Marble whispered.

"For what?" Crystal asked.

"You saved me as well. You're the one who charged out into the rain." Marble said. "I know Limestone is grateful as well, even if she doesn't show it."

"As long as we save each other, I say that we break even." Crystal winked. "Now, let's get back to bed before Limestone starts working us through the night."

Marble tried to hide the small smile that crawled its way onto her face. She wasn't sure she was successful though based on the widening grin of Crystal.

"Wait a minute. Why am I awake?" Limestone suddenly spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"I never wake up unless its morning. Six in the morning sharp every day, a Pie tradition." Limestone said. "I never wake up a minute later or earlier."

Marble suddenly realized she felt very awake as well. It was still the middle of the night, and she should have felt tired after such a long and exhausting day. Instead, she felt just fine.

"I feel pretty awake as well." Crystal said. "Feels like its early morning actually."

The three stood, looking at each other awkwardly.

Marble looked back up towards the moon. It was hanging in the sky, brighter than ever. Now that her mind had cleared a little, she realized something about the moon. There was no mare in it. The ever-present mare in the moon, a silhouette formed by craters of an ancient mare, was just gone. It was as if it had been wiped clean.

The mare in the moon had been there for as long as the Pie family could remember. And that meant a long, long time. Marble had thought it was a natural phenomenon. Now though, now there was not a single crater on the moon. It was flawless. Pure, untouched.

"Moon." Marble pointed with her hoof.

"That... that can't be good." Crystal said.

"No. It can't." Limestone's frown somehow grew deeper.

"The old legend." Crystal said. "The stars will aid in her escape... it all makes sense now."

"...Stars?" Marble asked.

"I read about it in my fairy tale collection. I never thought that it would be true. It goes as follows." Crystal cleared her throat. "On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape... and she will bring about eternal night."

"Who's escape?" Limestone snapped. "I don't like this one bit."

"Nightmare Moon."

The words hung heavily in the empty air. Everypony had heard the tale of Nightmare Moon. She was a wicked mare who appeared once every night to gobble up ponies. If you didn't wear a disguise and offer up some candy, she would find you. It was a foal's tale. But Marble knew that she was looking at the proof right now.

"I'm getting tired of this." Limestone said. "What do you even do about that? Lay down and die?"

"Adventure." Crystal's eyes sparkled. "You adventure. You set out, go on a journey, and then defeat the bad guy at the end of it."

"That sounds like a quick way to an early grave."

Marble couldn't help but agree. Nothing good ever came out of leaving the farm. Well, nothing good that lasted anyways. There was one thing that was on the farm though. One thing that maybe could provide some answers.

"The machine." Marble said. "I can look at it."

"You two really want to look at that thing?" Limestone said. "Fine, if you're not going to stop asking about it, let's go look at it. Can't clean up this mess in the dark anyways."

"Yes! Let's go!" Crystal Courage clapped her hooves together. "Adventure awaits!"

Marbled turned to her mech. There was no way she was leaving without it. Her legs were also tired. Why walk when you could ride? With that in mind Marble climbed up into it, popping the hatch then slipping inside. The cushion inside was a blessing to her.

"They never had giant machines in the fairy tales." Crystal said.

"They didn't get attacked by killer machines either." Limestone said. "There could be more of those out there. I say better safe than sorry."

"Mm-hmm!" Marble's hum was enveloped in a hiss as the hatch closed shut behind her. The systems of her mech booted up again.

"Booting up, running system diagnosis. Main core charge- 33%. Right blaster charge- 77%. Left jolt thrower charge- 75%. System integrity- 97%. MARBLE-01, All systems fully operational."

The main core charge was getting low, Marble would have to do something about that soon. More magic gems would have to be dug up, one big enough to power the mech. That was a problem for another day though.

"I guess in most fairy tales the heroes were given an artifact of great power." Crystal said.

"Let's be quick then. No longer than we have to." Limestone grumbled. "If we can't find anything out, then I guess we will have to deal with eternal night. If the tale is really true. Which I doubt."

The three began to walk. Marble excluded of course. She drove her mech forward, sheltered from the cold winds that blew. Each step pressed heavily on the hard earth, leaving flat-footed prints. The frontal floodlights lit the way.

Marble was surprised that Limestone had agreed to check out the machine. She wasn't one that usually cared for such things. Maybe it was the moon in the sky. Such evidence could not be easily ignored unless somepony was truly ignorant.

Eternal night. That would be unfortunate to say the least. It would allow her to drive her mech around more without it being noticed though. That didn't sound too bad. Marble shook her head. Her thoughts were getting a little loopy. Maybe it was the exhaustion taking its toll.

Tolls. When was the next tax season for the farm? Why did she care? What was she even thinking about again?

Oh right. The machine.

The old windmill came into view ahead. It was dimly lit by the soothing moonlight. Standing tall in the night, it looked like the bones of some ancient creature. Next to it, half crushed and in pieces, was the machine. It lay in parts; the magic bolts having ripped it to shreds. Its jaws were open wide, fangs bared in a frozen howl. Its lower half was completely crushed, and half of its body had exploded from the jolt of lightning.

"So now what?" Limestone asked.

"Now we investigate." Crystal approached the fallen machine. She poked around it, scanning over the parts. "How does something like this come to exist? To be honest, I don't even know what I'm looking at."

"Sis?" Limestone said. "Want to take a look at this? I'm not looking forward to eternal night if that's really what is going to happen. That would make farming rocks a pain."

Marble climbed out of her mech. She hesitantly approached, trying to ignore the feeling of eyes boring into her. Then, she arrived at the foot of the warped metal beast. Looking at it now, she felt a little guilty for the damage. It was absolutely ravaged.

She peered into one of the holes in the machine. Circuitry and cogs within could be seen. Curious, she tugged on a metal plate. With a wrench she ripped the plate free, revealing a complex system of mechanics beneath. It was dazzling to Marble. Never did she think she would see somepony else's creation that looked so much like her own.

"See anything?" Crystal asked.

"Give her a moment." Limestone said.

Marble could see something lightly glowing red in the center of the machine. She looked towards the head of the beast, just to make sure it was really dead, then she reached towards it. Pulling aside wires and plates, she got further into the machine. However, she couldn't pull it free. There was simply too much metalwork inside.

"I need my tools." Marble said. "We should bring this back to my cave."

"Bring it back to your cave?" Crystal asked. "What cave?"

Marble winced as she realized she had just revealed the existence of the cave. Well, there was no use hiding it now. Besides, Crystal already knew about her mech. "It's my workshop."

"You have a workshop? I have to see it!" Crystal grinned. "Do you have another one of those things?"

"No." Marble said. "MARBLE-01, is unique."

"How do we take it back there? Can't exactly carry it." Limestone said.

Marble climbed back in her mech. She aimed the prong at the machine, then speared it. The hoof-biting sound of metal on metal filled the air. The prong shifted to point upward, now having the beast impaled on it. Then, she started to drag it along the dirt floor. Her mech whirred with each step.

"I guess that's one way."

The journey to the cave felt longer than usual. Marble couldn't help but keep looking towards the moon, even as she was dragging the beast. Just as it was before, it remained bare of any mare. Something was off in the world, something was wrong. What that was she didn't know, but Marble could feel it in the air. Based on the vigilant glances of Limestone, she felt the same way. As for Crystal...

"This is so exciting! It reminds me of the tale of Starswirl the Bearded! Did you know he-"

"I don't care." Limestone had a face on that would make a foal cry.

"Well then maybe you want to hear about-"

Marble Pie tuned her out, focusing on driving her mech. She didn't know what that pony did in foal hood in order to get such an obsession with fairy tales.

They approached the cave in time. Crystal talked the entire way about some obscure fairy tale. Limestone eventually gave up and put on her best 'I'm going to kill somepony' face.

"Arrived." Marble drove her mech into the cave. The overhead lights came on as she strode down the path.

"Amazing..." Crystal glanced towards the overhead lights. "Are those made of gems?"

"Magic gems." Marble said with pride. That quickly flickered away. She didn't want any outsider inside her workshop.

"Then there are magic gems beneath the ground here..." Crystal murmured. "Have you ever felt strong feelings of love in this area? Maybe seen a heart-shaped blue magic gem?"

"What? No! Why would I be feeling any longing for love?!" Limestone growled, her cheeks glowing red.

"So, you have then!" Crystal said.

"I said I didn't."

"You did."

"Shut your trap."

"Ok." Crystal frowned. "But you have to let me know if you see a gem like that."

Marble couldn't help but wonder what that was all about. Was Limestone in love with somepony? That was impossible.

She couldn't stop her eyes from darting over to Crystal. This was too much. An outsider in her workshop? Yet, she did say they were friends...

"Crystal. Can you... can you stay outside?" Marble asked.

"What, why?"

"I just need space to work." It was the first thing she could think of.

"But I-" Crystal bit her lip. "Okay. Only because we are friends, alright?"

"Mm-hmm."

Crystal reluctantly backed away, though she did try and peek further down the tunnel.

"I'll watch her." Limestone said. "You do your work sis, nopony is going to see."

"Thank you." Marble said.

A wave of relief left her, and she let out a shaky sigh. Even though Crystal seemed like a good pony, she couldn't help but get nervous with an outsider so close to her workshop. It had been hidden for so long, and even though the secret was out it felt wrong to invite another pony inside.

She dumped the machine into the center of her workshop. It fell onto the metal floor with a clank. Once she had it in position, she powered down her mech and climbed out the back. Even though her eyes and hooves were screaming at her to get some rest, her mind was alive. She felt giddy looking at the machine now. She wanted to tear it apart, to learn its secrets firsthoof.

It was time to get to work.

Rummaging through the metal desks, Marble collected her black visor and hairpin. She tied back her hair and slipped on the goggles. They blurred the edges of her vision, letting her see only what was directly in front of her. All other distractions became smears.

From a cabinet she collected a strange contraption. It consisted of a long metal rod with a tube at the end. The tube was attached to a box. Inside that box was a magic gem. A magic gem with a particularly high concentration of fire magic. Marble liked to call this invention a magic torch. She turned a dial on the box, and it started to hum with power.

With a squeeze of the trigger on the torch, it ignited. The end started to burn with a low, blue, superheated flame. Carefully, Marble aimed it at a stubborn piece of metal and pressed the flame against it. It hissed as the flame scorched a path through the metal. The heat from it blasted her, but she continued, nonetheless.

Completely entranced by her work, the world around Marble faded to a blur.

She cut careful lines, some short, some long. These components were important, so she tried to preserve as many of them as possible. Cogs came free with a little motivation, as did plates and wires. What couldn't be saved she cut away entirely and threw into an ever-growing pile. That could be melted down and used to create something new.

The faintly glowing core of the beast started to reveal itself. Marble cut a few more stubborn bands of metal, then tugged it free.

Now that she was holding it in her hooves, it wasn't exactly what she was expecting. It was a magic gem core, that was clear, but it wasn't like any she had used. It was entirely red. It emanated a sinister crimson red glow. The entire gem structure was encased in a network of metal bracings. Like veins they wrapped around the gem. Wires were still attached from the gem to the machine, pumping magic energy that had nowhere to go. It thrummed in her hooves like a heart.

It was a curious item. It was clearly the core that powered the beast, but there was something off about it. Unlike the magic gems Marble used, this one felt... wrong somehow. Touching it made the magic in her body waver, and a feeling of nausea overcame her.

She set the gem down, and the feeling slowly disappeared. Marble collected herself, resisting the urge to throw up. That gem core... was not right.

The speakers on the beast started to crackle. The eyes of the machine began to glow once more with a sinister red. Marble jumped back, a jolt of shock running through her body. Was it still alive? Every tired muscle in her body prepared her to run.

Then, it started to spit out numbers in a low, snarling tone.

"01001000 01101111 01101100 01100100 01100101 01110010 00111111"

After the beast finished the string of numbers, the glow in its eyes faded once more.

Marble poked it with the torch, then burned a line through its metal skull. Hopefully it wouldn't get any ideas about getting back up now.

Those numbers... she had seen them before. The memory was faded now, but she could still see them in her mind. She knew what they were. It was a forgotten language. Binary.

The last and only place she had seen those numbers was in the dragon's lair beneath the farm. Marble turned her gaze to the corner of the room where there was a forgotten metal panel. Behind it, she knew that the cave continued. The ground past it grew unstable and treacherous, but it led to the ancient dragon's lair.

Marble stared at the panel. She wanted to figure out what that message meant. The numbers had already escaped her mind, there were too many to remember. Maybe she could get the message to play again? Either way, the path to more information lay beyond that panel.

Maybe it was time to crack it open once more.