//------------------------------// // 41. What it Means to be a Pony // Story: Time Bubbles // by Janicethelight //------------------------------// The doctor searched his head for a moment.  There seemed to be conflicting facts now.  His eyes stayed on the cyber ponies as he realized  what it was that bothered  him.  "So, what's the grandmaster plan then?" He asked pointedly. “You will be deleted.”  “Yeah yeah. You really need to expand your vocabulary!” he sighed, "but I know you lot.  The last time you had a living creature as a lead, you tried to make her into a cyber queen.  Trying the same trick twice?!" "This is irrelevant.  You will be deleted." "As. You. Have. Said." The Doctor boomed, before taking a breath, "but, why not just tell me then.  Call it a last request." The cyberpony processed this, "very well."  The Doctor's surprise was evident on his face, "the one called Velmani will assimilate the last of the ponies.  This world shall be known as the world of cyber ponies.  Once the cyber ponies understand the workings of this world, the one named Velmani will join us, assimilating as well.  We will go to every world, assimilating all inhabitants until every species is cyber pony.  We will start with the racoon race." "But, Velmani said they were dying.  The racoons didn't assimilate as well." "Incorrect.  The racoons were difficult.  At first, they were willing to assimilate, but half of  them began to go against cyber pony kind.  We deleted a rebel group, but that angered all racoon kind.  They dismantled us." "Ah. So you lead Velmai to believe that they were upset because those dismantled cyber ponies were dead, not because they realized you took everything from them.  That makes sense now, but how did you figure out where I had been?" "We only found the rift.  We were transported to the racoon world." "Tractor beam, of course." "If cyber ponies believed in such nonsense, we would call it fate, to be pulled to a world that knew of you."  The cyber pony lifted it's hoof, a beam charging, "your last request has been fulfilled.  Goodbye, Doctor." The doctor jumped as the beam fired where he had been a moment before.  He raced diagonally as the other charged, turning with a swift back kick.  The cyberpony flew back, hitting the wall behind it and making a pony shaped dent in the metal.  The Doctor looked up and smirked as the first cyber pony had it's other hoof up now, an unmistakable sound of a gun rattling bullets as he zigzagged around it, jumping for a roundhouse kick, which pushed the cyber pony to the side.  With both stuck in the wall, using the sonic to pull out the circuitry was child's play. “Hold on, Derpy.  I'm on my way.” ********* Derpy watched odd machinery running as the cyber ponies carried her off.   Doctor's voice carried through the hall as her fears began to overtake her.  He would come for her.  She could count on him.   She breathed.   The cyber ponies wanted to make her into them, and that would take time.  Right?  There was a line of ponies with their heads down.  Mare, colts and fillies alike waited to go into several rooms marked, ‘assimilation room.’  Derpy figured she would go to the end of the line.  It would certainly give the Doctor ample time to get to her.  They wouldn't be able to best him.  She had to keep her cool.  If windows to other worlds showed up with the same strength here as they did in the crystal empire, ponies would he hurt, and there was no way Derpy could be certain how strong they were here.  She would have time. “Where are you taking her?” Derpy knew the voice before the cyber ponies turned.  Velmani was following close behind. “To the assimilation line.” “The line?  Are you serious?!” “Do you wish her deleted now?” “No, cyber ponies.  I want her assimilated.  Now!” Velmani stamped her hoof. “Then what is the problem?” “You said yourselves that the Doctor has been troublesome in your endeavors to better the life forms around you.” “He is being deleted as we speak.” “So you say, but with how dangerous this pony is, I don't want to take any chances.”  Velmani's eyes met Derpy's good eye. “We can't allow him to take her.  Take her straight to the machines.  The faster the better.  Once she's safely in a cyber pony form, he can't do anything.” The cyber ponies processed this thought before turning back to an assimilation door, passing the lines of ponies. “Velmani!  Don't do this!  I don't want to be a cyber pony!” Derpy protested. “It's the only way to save you.” “Save me?” “They wanted to destroy you, my friend...because of that horrible pony you are with.  They think that you going to cause something horrible, but I have talked with you.  I can tell you are not a pony who would ever cause something so catastrophic.  I realized it must be his fault.  He made you leave me.  He made you think you had to live with eyes that need fixing.  He will lead you to this future.  I'm certain of it.  I won't allow it.  That is why you need to become a cyber pony.  It will fix everything.” “I don't understand!  I haven't done anything wrong.” “And you never will.” The cyber pony spoke up. “You will understand once you become one of them.  He won't be able to put you in danger.  You will be safe.” Derpy looked at the robots, and then back at Velmani.  “but...these cyber ponies.  Look at them!  They way they talk to us...to one another.  There's no heart to it.  When you turned them into these...these machines...you took away everything that makes them a pony!” “No.  I made them better.  You are sweet, Derpy,  but you're too simple to understand.  That will also be fixed.  You will no longer have to see incorrectly.  You won't fear or worry...or grieve.  I give you the only thing I can: peace.” “No!  Velmani, listen!” Velmani shook her head. "I will assimilate her myself."  She decided, walking with them.  "We can go to the primary room."   They went past the lines of ponies to a different room a few more doors away.  This room had one metal cylinder and a large console.  "This was the first assimilation machine I ever made.  With this, I can save you with my very own hooves!" "Velmani, you don't want to do this!" "You'll thank me afterwards.  No more wonky eye.  No more misery.  And, best of all...you will not die.  You can live without worry, Derpy.  No other creature will fault you for his mistakes." Derpy struggled against the cyber ponies.  "Continued struggling will lead to your deletion!" They warned. "What, you expect me to just let you turn me into one of you?!" "Correct!" "Tell me one thing." Derpy asked, trying to buy time, "do you guys eat muffins?" "Negative.  Cyber ponies have no use for eating.  Cyber ponies have all of the energy they need stored within. "But, muffins are delicious!" Derpy gasped Exasperatedly. "Tastes do not matter.  Muffins are inferior sources for energy as is all pony food." "Okay, one more question." Derpy looked over to Velmani for a moment, "what will you do after I'm a cyber pony?  Will you stop?!" "Negative.  All ponies will be assimilated." "Every pony?" "Every creature in every world." "Even Velmani?" "Affirmative." "Yes, and that would be a shame." The Doctor sighed, coming in. "But, how-" Velmani started. "After all, it would be worse than any prison.  After all, by turning every creature into you, we lose the very thing that makes Velmani, and Derpy and each and every unicorn have in them: their individuality!  There would never again be scientific strides forward, or stories written.  There would never be new food created, new music composed.  It would stop all progress!" "Cyber ponies do not need progress.  Cyber ponies ies are superior  to any progress any creature can create." "There you are.  They never wanted to help.  They just wanted to invade your dimension." He looked at the disbelief in her eyes, "don't believe me?  That's fine.  Cyber ponies.  I have a deal for you.  I will gladly give my life for you to let Derpy go!" "Doctor, no!" Derpy cried. "No tricks.  No escape attempts.  My life, for one pony.  You let her go first.  Let her get to the Tardis amd leave, and then you can be the ones to kill the Doctor." Silence deafened the room.  "No pony will be spared from assimilation!" The cyber ponies decided, "the Doctor will be deleted.  The one called Derpy will either be assimilated or deleted!"   "Why?!  He's giving himself up!" Velmani asked. "You are no longer thinking logically.  You will also be assimilated!" "This is how they are." The Doctor sighed.  "Fine.  Derpy.  You'll have a chance.  They'll throw you face first.  Fly back!" "The Doctor's emotions betray him.  We will throw her backwards!" "Oh, no!" The Doctor yelled sarcastically, "Don't throw her backwards!  Anything but that!" "We have conquered the Doctor's plan.  Throw her in to be assimilated!" The cyberpony threw Derpy in backwards.  Suddenly, Derpy came out the other side, causing the metal cylinder to collapse in on itself. "What transpired?" A cyber pony. "The assimilation unit seems to have collapsed." "This does not compute.  It was in working order recently.  Nothing changed." "Did the pegasus hide some manner of destruction on her?" "Negative.  Scan shows only a small metal object around her neck.  Nothing that could destroy the thick metal exterior." "This must be a trick of the doctor!" "He must be deleted.  The one known as Derpy needs to be deleted as well.  Delete.  Delete.  Delete.  Delete." The Doctor pulled Derpy up, holding her carefully as they were backed up closer and closer to the wall, hooves up and charging.  They touched the wall.  The Doctor eyed it, planning on using Derpy's...unique skills to get them out once more when the cyber ponies all started jerking and electrifying before they froze in place, heads down.  The Doctor and Derpy looked over to Velmani, whose hoof was still held on a button.  "Rule number 63: never create any thinking machine without some sort of off switch.  Racoons taught me that.  Sorry...I just...I couldn't let them hurt my only friend." **************************** The unicorn settlement was a disaster.  Ponies slowly came out of hiding, seeing the nonfunctioning machines before them.  The Doctor and Derpy lowered from their ship down to the ground, Velmani walking just behind..  Destruction was everywhere.   They talked with ponies, working to fix what they could.   They walked back, ponies glared at Velmani, who hung her head.  The Doctor looked over to her.  “They aren't going to forgive you right away.”  The Doctor nodded, “you will have to work to gain their trust.  But, with time, you can redeem yourself some.” “But...I've killed so many.” “You didn't know what it meant to be turned into a cyber pony...they tricked you.” Derpy realized. “But, you were a part of it.  You may never be forgiven completely.  But that doesn't mean to stop trying until your last breath.” “You already started by stopping their attack.  I'm sure, in time, they will see that you didn't know the extent of what the cyber ponies did.  I'm sure they'll forgive you.” “Thank you, Derpy.  I appreciate the vote of confidence...however, I wouldn't blame them if they did hate me for the rest of their lives.  I would deserve that much.  I have so much blood on my hooves...I thought I was helping change the universe...the problem is I was changing it for the worse and not for the better.”  Velmani stopped with a sigh, “However, I will do as the Doctor says.  I'm given a chance to redeem myself, and I will do just that.” “I'm glad to hear it.” The Doctor nodded. “I do have a question though...what did they think I was going to do?” Derpy asked. Velmani bit her lip.  “They...they believe you are going to destroy them…” “Technically,  that was you.” The doctor smirked. “I don't think you understand...there's something coming.  Time and space is ripping apart.  The ones that came to help me build the machinery to make cyber ponies told me this.  They came from one tear.  One of too many.” The doctor and Derpy exchanged looks.  Healing wounds in their hearts felt a fresh wave of pain from remembering. “they're trying to go through time to escape it...they said...it was like everything around them...everything disappeared until-” “Nothing was left.” The doctor guessed.   “Yeah...they thought Derpy had something to do with it.  I mean, they didn't know for sure it was Derpy.  They said the one traveling with you...more or less.  I thought maybe you had been responsible, and Derpy became a scapegoat.  From what the cyber ponies remembered, your companions are ever changing.  They made it seem like you didn't really care about any of your companions...that you only had them to make yourself feel more important.  I honestly thought Derpy would be better off as one of them than staying with somepony like that.” “That I can't blame you for. “ the doctor gave a sad smile.  “But the Doctor cares for all his friends.  He misses each and every one of them...you can see the loneliness he carries in his heart during the quieter times.”  Derpy looked to the Doctor as she spoke. “I realized that myself once he came, risking everything to save you...and even me.” The Doctor smirked, “You had too many years of loneliness yourself.  It would have caused any pony to want to believe in the first ones to show any interest in you.  I take it the cyber ponies found you not too long after the racoons, helped with the racoons to gain your trust, and   gave you the idea to try your experiments to better their whole bodies...and when they 'didn't work',  helped you get to this planet to keep your experiments going, twisting them into making more cyber ponies.  They made it seem like you were helping more than harming.  Any death was brushed aside as a tragic exception, and when you noticed a pattern, they acted like it was that the raccoons were not fit for them, but the truth was they were being systematically killed...leaving for this world probably saved the ones that were left.” “Poor Basura Colla…” Derpy sighed. “I should have realized...I was so blinded by my creations...I never stopped to consider…” “What's done is done.  What matters is what you do from here on out.  You can't change the past, but you can always work toward a brighter future.  So, hold your head high, and keep walking.” The doctor nodded. “But what about you two?!  Are you just going to run around ignoring these accusations against Derpy?” Derpy's attention turned to the Doctor.  His eyes were directed ahead, but his thoughts seemed to be off in a distant place or time.  “No.  Honestly, I've been trying to figure out the connection to Derpy.  More than anything, I want to stop anything else from threatening her life...especially for something she hasn't done.   As for this...wave of something erasing things from time and space...it feels far too familiar.  Instead of a crack, there are windows...but, not matter what it is, I will stop it, AND keep Derpy safe.  I swear it.” “I don't like it much.” Derpy stared at the ground, “All of these things seem to come back to me...but I know I wouldn't hurt any pony.  I have to believe that there's more to this...some missing piece.  And, if any pony can find the missing piece, it will be the Doctor.” She smiled at Velmani, “After everything, I know I can rely on him.  I love him.  And, because of him, I can have faith in myself.  I know I wouldn't hurt any pony.  I won't just let this so called ‘destiny’ laying down.  I'm going to fight it too.” The doctor felt his face reddened as he looked up at Derpy, “you are the mare of infinite possibility.  I have no doubt that if anypony can avoid this, it's you.” Derpy's own blush deepened.  Velmani felt it was right to give them this, allowing them to go ahead, smiling.  Two ponies with limitless possibilities helping each other.  They might just be able to do just that.  “Good luck, you two.” After a bit, they got back to the orphanage, or what was left of the ruined building.  The children and their protectors were safe.  The Doctor and Derpy were relieved by this, at least.  Derpy fell, suddenly hugged.  “Mama! You came back! “I did promise, Dinky!” Derpy smiled, maternal instincts taking over as she hugged the young child.  Kocin and Kennari walked up, covered in scrapes and bruises, but otherwise okay. “She has been talking about you since you left.  She said she knew you would come back.” Kennari nodded. Dinky giggled.  Derpy felt realization hit her as Dinky giggled, hugging her.  She looked up to the Doctor, who was along the same thought process as her.  The Cyber Ponies started with the pegassi and moved on to Earth ponies before they got to the unicorns.  This, the chances of Derpy’s look alike being alive was slim to none.  Dinky would be in the orphanage for the rest of her life...unless.  “I want to adopt her!”  Derpy heard her voice before she thought it through. “Honestly, you don't need to.”  Kocin shrugged, “She's yours by blood, so you have the right to claim her.” “Really, but-” Derpy began. “No buts.” Kennari shook her head, “you three belong together, and honestly, it would help.  We need these kids taken care of, and no place to do that now.  Every child with a home is one less filly that has to sleep outside tonight.  Plus, I can tell you already feel a connection.  It's written all over your face.” Derpy patted Dinky, looking up to the Doctor, “What do you think, Doctor...ever wanted to be a dad?” The doctor smiled.  He could tell that Derpy wouldn't be diswaited.  It would be nice to have a family again.  “Absolutely, we can't let little Dinky stay outside, or shatter her heart.” “You hear that Dinky.  You're coming home!”  Derpy laughed, hugging Dinky close. “I have a home!  I have a family!” Dinky smiled.  “Thank you mommy!  And you too ...daddy.”