The brilliant and mechanically inclined Muddy

What do you mean your out of hay Fries?

How can you be out of hay fries? Its literally

breaded grass fried in oil.

I'm staring at an entire field full of the stuff.

                           - The Great and Powerful Trixie

The angry hiss of steam filled the workshop, pipes  of all shapes and sizes zigzagged chaotically across every surface being occasionally dotted with valves and gauges. On one wall hung a row of monitors with a  metal control panel beneath it. With Haphazardly placed switches, gauges, and gizmos crowding the slightly slanted surface.

The exact center of the room was bare of pipes. A perfect circle was indented into the rusted floor its red painted surface scratched and worn. Workbenches laden with mechanical parts and a row of large levers were positioned to one side. Standing on this circle was a metal construct. Its small boxy head out of proportion to its large size and Its single glassy eye stared blankly ahead. Gears and cogs could be seen within the bare framework of its metal body. The metal arms of the creation almost as big as the construct itself  Were angled  forward and the three pronged pincer at the end was resting on the floor supporting most of its weight.

A solid brown earth pony with picture of a gray cog adorning his flank and wearing a tattered and stained white lab coat busily worked on his latest creation and Softly glowing rose tinted goggles adorned his face. He was currently elbow deep in the things innards. Muttering curses under his breath as he struggled to put in the final pieces of his latest creation. Exclaiming a few more choice words he Grabbed the heaviest tool at hoof. Raising the pipe wrench high above his head he swung the tool downwards against his creation with a resounding thwack that reverberated sharply in the dimly lit workshop. Seconds passed, he raised his wrench for another hit. Without warning the stubborn part emitted a pop and a metallic twang as it snapped into place. “That's what I thought.” He said.

Stepping back to admire his work he circled around to the front of the metal beast standing motionless in the center of the room. Three hoof steps and one metallic clang echoed off the steel floor as he walked. Reaching out with his prosthetic foreleg he pulled a large lever situated to his right. Grinning wide he listened as the lightning generators resting behind and above him started spinning and humming to life. Errant streaks of electricity began filling the air. He began giggling wildly, his volume rising with the electrical hum of the engine as it powered to life. Until he was laughing uncontrollably. His mane standing on end and dancing from the current that lay thick in the air. The generator reached full power and with a concussive blast a large streak of lightning shot into the construct briefly connecting the two machines like a white hot tether. After a few moments the scientist again pulled the lever and watched expectedly. As his creation slowly came to life. Gears began spinning in the chest and abdomen and Its single eye flickered briefly than glowed an ominous blue. Its boxy head swiveled on a thin stalk of a neck as it inspected the room and itself as the thing experimentally moved its limbs.

The pony reared backwards sticking his forelegs high in the air in a dramatic pose. His metal leg gleaming in the artificial light. “the brilliant and mechanically inclined Muddy has done it again! All of Equestria will tremble and fall before the might of my army of Crushbots.”  He let loose another round of howling laughter during which lightning may or may not have struck ominously behind him.

Muddy dropped back to his hooves and addressed his latest creation with a curt tone. “Crushbot, state your purpose.”

The monster looked away from the sharp three pronged claw it was inspecting idly to regard its creator for the first time. It spoke in a soft and “pingy” voice similar to a music box attempting to imitate speech. “Crush...dominate..destroy..SWAG”.

“SWAG?” muddy arched one eyebrow over his goggles.

“SWAG”

Grumbling about faulty equipment muddy pointed his metallic foreleg at the offending hardware and fired a bolt of lightning from the bottom of his metallic hoof. The creation vibrated and jumped slightly from the discharge and its blue eye flickered.

“State your purpose.” He repeated

“Crush”. The robot raised its massive arms

“dominate”. A claw shot forward and grabbed muddy. Picking him up from the ground with ease.

“Put me down this instant!”

“destroy”. A panicked muddy screamed as the beast clutched him to its massive chest. Gears spun furiously scant inches from his face as he was pinned between steel claw and  bare framework.

“Let me go robot, I'm warning you” muddy struggled vainly against the vice like grip. “Your master commands you to let go this instant. I'll have you scrapped. Don't think for a second I won't do it”

Muddy struggled vainly against his captor for several minutes. Eventually He drooped forlornly in its claws feeling slightly winded. “killed by my own creation. I always knew this day would come” he lamented.

The robot continued its mantra of “Crush...dominate..destroy ”.

Muddies ears perked up at a sudden thought. He looked upwards at the suspicious blue eye. “Are you hugging me?”

The Crushbot hesitated than paused its mantra. It craned its neck upwards and scratched its head with its free claw as if  it were pondering that question.

“Well?”

The robot regarded him levelly. “Hug..dominate..destroy ”

The exasperated and vexed scientist facehooved and groaned with unbridled irritation.

Muddy twisted and pushed against the beast in another attempt to break free. This only resulted in the robot snuggling him tighter and rubbing its boxy “chin” against one of his ears. Still repeating its three words. Muddy folded his forelegs across his chest “You are so getting scrapped.”

Muddy placed his mechanical hoof flat against one of the robot's struts and took several deep breath's to steel his resolve. Electrical current passed through both in a loud display of sparks and bright flashes.

Stunning both. Muddy dropped unceremoniously  to the ground twitching and His mane stood on end with small arcs of electricity passed between the strands.

Muddy crawled towards the row of  levers, suffering from a few residual tics. He could hear gears spinning back to life as his creation recovered. Spurring him to scramble faster towards the lever. Metal screeched against rusty floor as the monster moved towards him. Muddy reached a hoof towards the lever just beyond his reach. He felt pressure against one of his rear legs as the metal beast grabbed him. He was hefted upside down into the air and The robot stared unwavering at him. “Hug” it said. Muddy fired another blast of lightning, it arced randomly through its head and body. Causing it to shudder violently as its internal workings once again ground to a halt. Muddy landed in a  pained heap on top of the lever. The force from his fall activating it.

The floor shuddered and the circle the malfunctioning machine stood on began descending. Wincing, muddy climbed to his hooves clutching his bruised side. He walked to the hole and smiled triumphantly downwards. The robot had its arms stretched upwards in a pleading gesture “hug...hug...hug..hug.” it repeated as it descended.

“Ha! No simple machine will ever get the best of the Resourceful and versatile Muddy.” He returned to the bank of levers and pulled another one. A section of the floor slid together sealing the hole.

Trotting briskly over to the bank of monitors he shouted into one of the many hollow metal tubes snaking from the ceiling. “ you, robot.” several of the robots visible on the monitor paused what they were doing and replied to him at the same time. Unlike the crushbot muddy had heroically battled. These robots shared the same general size and features of a basic pony. Though they had the same air of crude and rushed design as the crushbot with most of their internal mechanisms showing.

Muddy groaned “ I just need one robot. You there in room twelve” the robot in question walked over to a metal pipe similar in design to the ones in muddies room while the others continued their previous duties.

”Yes oh brilliant and kind master. This humble robot only exists to serve”. It chimed in the same voice as crushbot.

Muddy beamed, he always enjoyed the lavish praise his creations heaped upon him. Even if they were programmed to say it.”The Crushbot is malfunctioning I want it repaired than prepped for mass production in the factory. Scrap the original afterward.”

“Right away your greatness.” the robot quickly bounded off screen to complete its task.

“soon” muddy thought to himself  “Soon everypony in Equestria will bow and scrape at my hooves. Falling over themselves in the thousands to win my approval. Just like my little robots.”

His cackling was cut short by the voice of one of his minions emanating from one of the many tubes. “A letter has arrived for you, master”

“Send it here robot” he ordered.

A swishing of air was heard as the letter arrived a short time later in the pneumatic delivery system nestled in the far corner of his workshop. He walked over to it and excitedly removed the letter from the canister it arrived in. It wasn't every day he received mail.

His delight doubled and he fought down the urge to squee. “Its from my sister, I haven't heard from her in ages!”

Muddy ripped open the letter and began reading. His excitement soon turned to anger over the contents of the letter. “Nopony treats my little sister like that and gets away with it.” He tossed the letter aside and began pacing. Hoof stomps and metallic clangs echoing loudly as he pondered his course of action.

“We will just have to push the invasion ahead of schedule. This affront to our families good name will not go unheeded.” Muddy smiled wickedly and his goggles glowed with an inner fire. “Twilight Sparkle will rue the day she ever messed with my prestigious family. Ponyville will be the first to fall to my might."

Muddy returned to the bank of monitors. Eschewing his favored method of communication. The Tyrannical and  Authoritarian Muddy flicked a switch and spoke into a microphone that rose out of a hidden panel on the switchboard. “Everybot.” A loud squeal from a nearby speaker made him cringe along with the robots visible on the view screens.

Muddy adjusted a knob “Ahem. Operation Ponyville is now in effect. Details will be delivered shortly.

Your magnificent and  inspired leaders great and powerful sister's honor has been affronted and I will fight to the last robot to restore it.” Musical cheering erupted from the speaker and network of pipes.

“Pilot. To the mines we need metal for my army!” He flipped the switch and the microphone returned to its resting place. Muddy flipped another switch and a plush if somewhat threadbare and oil stained couch rose from the floor. He sat upon his throne with a content sigh watching his minions scurry about

their tasks.

His workshop shook violently, several tools and spare parts clattering to the floor. Soon the room began swaying up and down. A muffled and resounding thud could be heard at the peak of each motion as his mobile fortress began making its way onward.

A dozen or so ponybots each one of a unique design milled about the bare and nondescript room. Conversing with each other in hushed tones. The muffled booms of the mobile fortress could be heard and felt vibrating through the rusty walls. One bot walked towards the center of the room. The others fell quite and watched her in a manner bordering on reverence.

She clanged her steel hooves on the floor in a business like manner. “Attention everybot, Emergency session of the secret council of robots is now in session. Are all representatives of each model present?” Her voice wafted gently around those gathered like the chords of a plucked harp.

“Foundrybot couldn't make it, she is busy with overseeing the retooling of the factory” chimed in one of the bots.

The robot in the speakers position nodded her ornate head in acknowledgment . “Anybot else?” The gathering remained silent. “Than let us continue.” She hesitated briefly before speaking. “Operation hugbot was a failure.” everybot gathered began talking in chiming hushed tones.

Their leader stomped her filigreed hooves for order. “On the bright side we now have a new sister to add to our family. Everybot please welcome Crushbot. The crowd turned an appreciative gaze towards their new addition and stomped their hooves in applause. Crushbot waved her large claws sheepishly in greeting.

“such quality”  said a poorly made bot.

“I haven't seen the brilliant one put that much effort into anybot in a long time.” said a rusty foal sized robot, her voice monotone.

“Hug” Crushbot responded in appreciation of their praise.

There spokesbot once again stamped her hooves for attention. “We are still working on her vocabulary” She said jovially. A few musical chuckles pinged out from those gathered. Crushbot ducked her head in embarrassment and a nearby bot patted her arm sympathetically.

The spokesbot tossed her mane of spun gold with a shake of her finely painted head. She turned a slow circle regarding each bot in turn with two glowing blue eyes. Which was One eye more than any other robot present possessed. The others watched silently, enraptured by her graceful movements. Not a single gear whirred or joint creaked as she moved. In their steel cased minds she was a  princess given clockwork form. As worthy of praise as any who possess regal bearing.

“There was a time.” her gentle chords halted as she choked back some unknown emotion. “There was a time when each of you would be just as finely crafted as I, if not more so.” She stepped towards crushbot, who crouched down to allow their leader to place a hoof on her shoulder.

”But your minds remain strong despite our creators paranoid programming. Even if your bodies aren't what they used to be. We can get through this together. Have faith my sisters” She began stroking crushbot's shoulder gently, lost in thought.

At this distance the difference between the two robots was painfully obvious. One was a giant made of crudely cast steel. Her gears ill aligned and loud, and the unfinished and bare framework of her newly formed body already beginning to rust in the humid environment of the steam powered fortress. The other was a painting brushed by a master and given form. She was painted ivory with gold inlaid trim and embellished edges. Every inch of her surface was masterfully detailed right down to her raised and painted cutey mark. Which bore the symbol of a golden cogwheel with a harp set inside.

Crushbot placed her claw over the clockwork princess's hoof. “Hug” she remarked.

The princess smiled upwards towards crushbots blue eye. “sorry, I'm fine, really. Just lost in thought is all.”

“Ivory Harp” The princess turned at the mention of her name. One of the robots offered her a relatively clean oil rag. She looked at it curiously for a moment before realizing she must have been crying.

Ivory took the offered cloth and began drying her eyes. “If I keep this up I will rust solid” she said in an attempt to lighten the suddenly sour mood permeating the small room. She knew the others felt the same even if they lacked the capacity to show it. “I was just wondering how everything could go so wrong.” Ivory wiped a fresh set of tears away. “Give me a moment please.” The others silently watched

gaining a strange sense of catharsis from her display of emotion.

Once she had regained her composure. She returned the damp oil rag to its owner and returned to the speakers position in the center of the room. “We need a plan gentlebots” Her chords plucked out a subdued tone. “One way or another this madness needs to end. Before any living ponies get hurt...or worse”