Friendship Befits Firepower

by MistOverMoon

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?"