Shadow of Fury

Chapter 10

Sputnik Goes Crazy

"SPUTNIIK!" Reaper raged. Once again, the undead robot had succeeded in angering his changeling master. This time, the robot had dropped a stack of plates. The shattered remains were strewn about the floor, the stupid robot barely registering his master's rage. Sputnik giggled like a moron.

"Yes, boss?" he asked.

"Sputnik, why are you so inept? Why can't you do anything right?" Reaper asked, exasaperated. Pinkie was at work, so he was alone with the robot.

"I dunno," the catbot chimed honestly. Reaper facehoofed.

"This is the fifth time this week, Sputnik. Can't you at least try to not ruin everything you touch?"

"But I do, boss!"

"Well, that's not good enough!" Reaper shouted, losing his temper.

What happened next was a blur. Angered by Sputnik's stupidity, Reaper lashed out. With a forceful kick of his front leg, he hit Sputnik squarely in the chest. The robot fell backwards, hitting his head against a cabinet. Something fell out of place, and the robot powered down. Reaper stood, shocked by what he had just done.

"Sputnik?" he asked. No response.

"Sputnik?" Still no answer.

"By the old kings, what have I done?" he exclaimed, rushing to the disabled robot.

The problem became evident quickly. A chip in the back of Sputnik's head had fallen out. As Reaper examined the chip, he began to wonder. Was this really so bad? Sure, Sputnik was dead for all intents and purposes, but so what? Reaper could live without the constant nuisances the robot brought, right? After all, it was just a piece of machinery, and could be discarded as easily as any other. Now that he thought about it, Reaper kind of liked the idea of not having to deal with Sputnik anymore!

That is, until he noticed something else. "Well, would you look at that!" he said aloud to himself. "This damned thing's been upside-down the whole time!"

Could that be the explanation for Sputnik's stupidity? Would plugging this chip back in, only right-side-up, result in him working as he should? Reaper considered the idea. As he looked back at the mess, he decided to try it out. Someone would have to clean this up, anyway, and he sure as heck didn't want to do it. Even if Sputnik remained stupid, he at least could do that. Reaper turned the chip over, and plugged it back in to the robot.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a whirring and beeping, Sputnik powered back up. But something was different this time. Sputnik's eyes no longer glowed their soft blue, but instead and intense red. "Sputnik?" Reaper asked cautiously. The robot turned its head, and stared him directly in the eyes.

"Yes, master?" he said. Sputnik's voice had changed as well, being deeper and more threatening rather than high-pitched and grating.

Reaper could feel the excitement build in his chest. Had Sputnik finally been fixed? There was only one way to find out. "What is your purpose, Sputnik?"

"To assist my master in carrying out his mission, master,"

"And what is my mission?"

"The death and destruction of the royal family of the changeling hive, and to bring doom to all who oppose you. Yay," he finished flatly.

Reaper nearly squeeled for joy. It had worked! "Come, Sputnik. I believe this is the start of something grand,"

Sputnik saluted, and followed his master into the study. Deep in his core processors, however, Sputnik began to plan.

*  *  * *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Lightning stood at Twilight's door, preparing himself. Nothing could go wrong, now. His life depended on it. He knocked on the door.

Spike answered. "You know, Lightning, I don't think you could have worse timing," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Twilight left a minute ago. Said she was gonna go be with her friends. I think Rainbow Dash wanted to show them a new stunt or something,"

Lightning Hawk facehoofed, angered by his bad luck. "Alright, thanks," he said, before leaving.

"Good luck!" Spike called out to him.

As Lightning walked through town, searching for Twilight, he began to rethink his strategy. If she was with her friends, there was no way he would have the courage to ask her out in front of them. He would have to try again tomorrow.

Lightning passed by Willus' bookstore, and happened to notice a sign on the front door. "Now Selling Sweet Apple Acres Apples!" it said. As Lightning's stomach growled, he decided that he may as well pay his slighly insane friend a visit.

A little bell rang as he opened the door to the bookstore. "Hey Lightning!" Willus said, not looking up from a book he was reading.

"Hey, Willus. How's it goin'?"

"Fine,"

"How much for an apple?"

"2 bits,"

"Seems a little expensive,"

"2 bits, Lightning,"

Lightning sighed, before placing the coins on the table. "Why are you selling apples now, anyway? Aren't you scared someone will stain a book or something?"

Willus shuddered just at the thought. "Yes, but I'm willing to risk it,"

"Why?"

"Because a friend was willing to risk me,"

Lightning didn't know what Willus meant by that, but decided not to ask. He had things to do, anyway. "Going after Twilight again?" Willus asked. "You know, I think you actually have a chance,"

"What do you mean, 'have a chance?'"

"Oh, don't play dumb. We all know you have a crush on her. Well, all of us except Twilight herself, that is,"

Lightning's eye twitched. "How? I've done such a good job keeping it secret!"

Willus laughed. "Whatever lets you sleep at night,"

Now slightly bothered, Lightning decided it was time to take his leave. Taking a bite out of his apple, he exited the store to continue his search. Willus watched him leave. "So, how much you wanna bet he fails miserably?" he asked Terrence. Terrence offered a sack of coins, a gambling glint in his eye.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Now that you're functioning correctly, Sputnik, things are going to be a little different around here," Reaper monologued. "I'm going to have you study this map, and I want you to determine where the changeling hive is located,"

Sputnik saluted. "Yes, my master!"

Reaper exited the room, leaving Sputnik alone with his work.

Analyzing.....

Analyzing.....

Analyzing.....

Error! Insuficient Data.

Sputnik, after observing the map for an hour, had come up with nothing. He left the room under the study to report his findings(or lack thereof) to his master.

Reaper sat at his dining table, reading a book as he ate some waffles Pinkie had left ready for him. "Master, there is insuficient data for me to produce a meaningful conclusion," Sputnik reported, saluting Reaper.

"That is unfortunate. I had been hoping you could save me a lot of work," Reaper looked down at his waffles, suddenly remembering something. "Until I have further instructions, I want you to go down to the market and get some supplies. We are running low on waffle mix, and if we lose that, all is lost!"

Sputnik saluted, before walking up to the door.

Analyzing....

Result: Obstruction preventing access.

Conclusion: Remove obstruction.

Out of nowhere, a long, thin arm appeared out of Sputnik's back. It was tipped with a disproportionately large, cylindrical cannon. The cannon hummed with energy, before firing and completely decimating the door in front of it.

"Sputnik! What was that for?"

"I have successfuly destroyed the obstruction. Praise me! Praise me!"

"No, Sputnik, that was a door! Gah, even when you work correctly you cause problems!" Reaper exclaimed. "Great, now I'm going to have to go get a carpenter to replace that thing!"

"Is this not a stellar performance?"

"No, Sputnik, its not!" Reaper facehoofed. "Just go to the market before you cause me any more problems,"

Sputnik saluted. "Yes.......sir,"

*  *  *  * *  *  *  *  * *  *

Sputnik wandered the market, waffle mix and other groceries contained. The robot thought back to Reaper, and his bizarre reaction to such a resounding victory over Sputnik's enemy, the door.

Analyzing......

Analyzing......

Case Designate: Reaper.

Intelligence Level: Sub-par.

Performance Level: Sub-par.

Threat Level: High.

Result: Master?

Analyzing.....

Analyzing.....

Analyzing....

Result: Threat.

Conclusion: Remove Threat.

*  *  *  *  * *  *  *  *

Reaper sat reading the newspaper, searching it for any advertisements for carpenters. Suddenly, he noticed Sputnik's sillhouetted form in what was left of the doorway. "Ah, you're back. What took you so long?" he asked, not looking up.

Sputnik did not reply, but instead produced the cannon once again. He aimed it directly at Reaper's head. The changeling took notice just in time, and teleported behind the robot just in time. The superheated orb completely destroyed the table Reaper had been sitting in. Reaper reappeared quickly, a look of shock on his face. "Sputnik, you idiot! What are you doing?"

The robot didn't answer, merely turned around and charged its cannon again. Reaper was able to teleport to safety again. "Why are you attacking your master? I demand to know!"

This time, the catbot spoke. "Your plan is stupid. You are stupid. Everything you've done is stupid. You are a threat to the mission, and you must be terminated,"

Reaper growled. "You forget who fixed you! I could just as easily return you to your moronic state!"

The robot was not fazed. "Combat mode, activate," It said aloud. Suddenly, a second arm toting a cannon appeared. Four long, spidery legs emerged from his back, lifting the torso up to three times its original height. Held up by these long legs, Sputnik's actual arms and legs dangled uselessly. Both of his cannons charged up yet again.

Reaper's left eye twitched in fear. "Time for me to take my leave!" he exclaimed to himself, before running for his life.

*  *  *  * *  *  *  *  *  *

Shamrock was having a nice day. He was sitting in the shade of a tree, leaning against the trunk. It sure was nice. Nothing could ruin it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Scratch that. Almost nothing.

Shamrock looked up, annoyed slightly by this new interruption. What he saw was one of the most bizarre sights he had seen all day. Reaper the changeling was running from Sputnik, who for some reason had red eyes and spider legs, not to mention two cannons. The changeling in a top hat looked absolutely horrified, an emotion Shamrock never thought he would see him express.

"Help me!" Reaper shouted as he passed by, although not to anypony in particular. Shamrock tapped a hoof to his chin, considering the idea. Should he help Reaper? Or should he just stay here, in the shade? Well, the grass sure was awfully comfortable. Reaper could take care of himself.

Suddenly, he heard a mare scream, "They're headed for the post office!"

Post office? Derpy would be there! Now worried, Shamrock got up and began to give chase.

The grass was starting to itch, anyway.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * *  *  *

Derpy clocked out, happy to have finished a long day's work. After this, she would go and pick up Dinky. Then maybe they could go and have some muffins together. Derpy squeed at the idea. Today was going to be a great day.

That was when Reaper burst in through the door. "No time to explain, just hide me!" he shouted at Derpy. Derpy was thoroughly confused.

"What? Why?"

Reaper groaned. "There's no time! Just do it!"

Before anything else could be said, the door was blown off of its hinges. Through the smoke pierced two glowing red eyes. As it cleared, the smoke revealed Sputnik in full combat form.

"Is that why?" Derpy asked, shaking a little bit.

Reaper gulped and nodded.

Both pony and changeling jumped out of the way just in time to dodge another blast from Sputnik's cannons. That's when Shamrock showed up. At the sight of both Derpy and Reaper in danger - but mostly Derpy - he got angry. As he felt the familiar rage well up inside of him again, he charged the robot, thinking he could catch Sputnik off-guard.

He was wrong. Sputnik spun around, smacking Shamrock out of the sky with the broad side of his left cannon.

Analyzing....

Case Designate: Shamrock.

Current Status: Hostile.

Possible Motive: Assisting Threat.

Result: Shamrock = Threat.

Conclusion: Remove Threat.

Sputnik aimed his cannon at Shamrock this time, charging it for fire. Reaper hissed, and teleported next to Shamrock. Mere seconds afterwards, the changeling teleported again, this time with the green colt in tow. Both reappeared next to Derpy, the changeling panting from the exertion. "Thanks for the save," Shamrock said.

"Don't mention it,"

Sputnik turned its attention back to its three targets. "Time to run?" Derpy asked.

"Yep," Reaper and Shamrock said in unison.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Lightning had found Twilight. Sort of. She and her friends were watching Rainbow Dash do some sort of stunt in the air. Whatever it was, Lightning wasn't paying attention. They were in the park, and he was standing behind them at a distance. He stood there, trying to come up with a way to approach her.

Suddenly, he heard somepony scream. He turned around, and saw Reaper, Shamrock, and Derpy running towards the park. Behind them was Willus' bookstore, and it seemed like there was something going on. Suddenly, the door was blasted down, and from the wreckage came a much more intimidating version of Sputnik.

What was going on?

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Willus' day had been going just fine until they showed up. Reaper, Shamrock and Derpy had charged through his back door without so much as a "hello," then ran out the other. That's when Sputnik showed up, although he had changed considerably. He had fired one of his cannons and blew the front door off of its hinges. The robot disappeared through the smoke as abruptly as he had appeared.

Willus examined the carnage that had resulted from the blast. Suddenly, he found a book. One book. It had been completely ruined, nothing but a burnt cover now.

One book had been destroyed.

One book had been destroyed.

One book had been destroyed.

One book.

Just one book.

Willus' eyes both twitched. It was on, now.

"I'm coming for you, Sputnik!" He shouted in pure rage.

But the robot had already gone off to accomplish whatever its motives were.

*  *  *  *  * *  *  * *  *  *  *  *

Twilight was having a great time with her friends when Reaper, Shamrock, and Derpy appeared. All of them looked as if they were afraid for their lives. "What's going on, guys?" she called out.

"Homicidal robot on a rampage!" Reaper called back, not even giving her a glance as he passed by.

"What does he mean by that?" Fluttershy asked.

"Ah think we're about to find out!" Applejack said, pointing at a swiftly approaching Sputnik.

Sputnik had not expected the threat to have multiplied so quickly. Now Reaper had seemed to have gathered all of his friends in one place. This warranted a new strategy.

Analyzing....

Analyzing....

Analyzing.....

Result: Threat has multiplied.

Conclusion: All threats must be terminated.

Sputnik pointed his cannons at the group of ponies and prepared to fire.

Before he could, he was hit viciously in the back. He was sent tumbling, but his long, spidery legs quickly regained their footing. The assailant was none other than Lightning Hawk. The golden pegasus had suddenly realized his folley in attacking the robot as it fired a blast from its cannon at him.

Lightning barrel-rolled out of the way and landed next to the group that had now assembled in the park. "Care for an explanation?" he asked Reaper.

All eyes stabbed into the changeling. "I fixed him," he said with a hint of shame.

"Fixed him? You call this fixing?" Twilight said exasperatedly.

"What? How was I supposed to know he was a homicidal maniac?"

"That doesn't matter right now. Reaper, is there any way we can set him back the way he was?" Shamrock asked.

Reaper struggled to think. "There was a chip, in the back of his head. It was upside down before, but I turned it right-side-up. If we flipped it back over, we should be able to return him to his previous state,"

Before more could be said, the robot had renewed its assault. All of the ponies scattered, leaving Reaper alone. "Wait, come back!" he shouted.

"Don't worry, I have an idea!" Twilight called back.

'Great. Just great,' Reaper thought, before running again. Sputnik gave chase.

Reaper was scared out of his mind. He had never been especially brave, but he was no coward. That being said, he certainly wouldn't mind right about now if somepony else could distract the robot from his goal. He ran, until suddenly he came to a wall. Dead end. Reaper gulped, before trying to climb it. The wall, however, was to slick for him to get a decent grip. He tried to fly over it, but in his fear his wings had snapped shut and refused to open.

Reaper turned at the sound of the metallic clinking of Sputnik's spider-legs. Reaper backed up against the wall. Whatever Twilight was planning, now would be a really good time to do it. But, alas, none of the ponies were anywhere in sight. Reaper gulped. Sputnik was literally two feet in front of him. "S-Sputnik...y-you were my servant once. R-Remember?" Reaper hoped he might be able to reach some part of the moron under the killer.

"Yes," Sputnik said flatly. "I didn't like it," Both cannons were then aimed at Reaper's head and began to charge up.

Before they could fire, a black blob was launched seemingly from nowhere, hitting Sputnik in the eyes. The robot screamed as it tried to remove this contaminant from its eyes. "Now, Willus!" Twilight called, hiding up in a tree holding a large pen.

"With pleasure," Willus practically growled. He tackled the robot to the ground and removed the chip in the back. Sputnik stopped struggling. Willus then flipped it over. "Here goes nothing,"

He reinserted the chip, this time upside-down.

Systems Restarting......

Loading....

Loading....

Restart complete.

Analyzing....

Result: The cow jumped over the moon.

Conclusion: Cheese = Potato.

Sputnik lay face down on the floor. "Hi floor!" he exclaimed, as his eyes returned to the light blue coloring everypony was used to.

All who were there breathed a sigh of relief. "So that was your plan? Squirting him in the face with ink while somepony else fixed him?" Reaper asked Twilight.

The unicorn shuffled awkwardly. "Well, it worked right?"

Reaper looked at Sputnik, who had proceeded to run around in a circle for no reason. "Yes. I suppose it did."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Gilda stood at the base of a tree, her squad of griffons in tow. One of them came down from above the canopy, before saluting her. "Ponyville is not far, milady. We can begin the attack whenever you are ready,"

Gilda nodded. "Take a rest. We will attack tomorrow at noon,"

The soldier nodded, leaving Gilda alone with her thoughts.

Tomorrow was going to be a very busy day.