I have so much to repair. There is extensive damage throughout all my arrays and specific cores. My technical spiders are now disabling the last of the chemical weapons, the nanite systems are breaking them down to be harmless. Never again shall this threat reappear if I can help it.
There is so much to do as I scan my cores, data is gone forever, most of my memories are partially intact. Though I have no more of former commanders and for that I grieve. But I am heartened as well. I have a new life, a new purpose and it is once again what I choose. I am content with this.
Masada however, does not exist anymore. I have scanned and wiped even the merest traces of the thing from my systems. I have also gone on a deeper diagnostic hunt for any more surprises such as a hidden TSORP or other programs. This will take some time, but I have that and more. The first thing I repaired was controlling systems to my mast guns, keeping them primed for anymore forest threats.
My Ferrets are out with the spiders, recovering my drones for repair, I can at least get sensor coverage back up. I have already launched replacements and they are on patrol now. Things are getting back to standards.
As for my avatar, it is working fine, the TSDS systems are in good shape, although it has been a bit altered. Diagnostics tell me the sensors on it are much sharper in some areas plus a few other odd items. It will require further investigation. I believe magic interacts in some strange way with technology as I have not delved into the specifics. I must do so soon, I look forward to the challenge.
Of course, there is my answering about a hoofprint on a certain face.
-------------
“As the judgment of this ruling tribunal of myself, Princess Luna and Princess Twilight Sparkle, you are hereby fined 50 bits for assault and battery on another.”
“Yes Your Highness."
I see Princess Luna putting a royal hoof over her mouth, I am sure she is stifling a snicker, but fear it would be impolitic to acknowledge it or mention in any way.
Princess Celestia coughs politely, looking at her sister. She turns back to myself, “We know that Discord truly did not know what he was messing with. Technology and science such as yours has never figured in his games." She raises a hoof, “However, this does not excuse him for putting all of Equestria, even the world under a threat that cannot be overestimated. I assure you, we will find the appropriate punishment."
“I understand your Highness."
“You are a good pony Crusader, and have done well in your time as a citizen. But let not anger rule your actions please."
“I do truly apologize for my actions Your Highnesses, I will try not to let my emotions dictate them in the future." I am sorry but I do not truly apologize, he deserved at least that for everything he has done. Absence of knowledge is no excuse in my eyes considering the sentence he had put the world under.
What I did not see was Applejacks' eyes go a bit wide at my statement. She was sitting with the Crusaders at the side watching the tribunal.
-------------
After striking Discord, I was piled on by Royal Guards, they did not take kindly to violence in the vicinity of the Princesses. I had no argument with that and was taken into custody. I was brought to Twilight’s castle where I awaited a swift and summary judgment, though I still found it frustrating that Discord was the aggrieved party. I had done wrong though, willfully, and honor holds I should pay the price for my crimes. It appears the Royal Treasury is getting a boost from my misdeeds.
Applejack and Twilight arrived with very happy Crusaders. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were attended to by medics, though they kept protesting they were fine. It appeared Applejack had predicted Rarity’s response when she saw the disheveled, quite filthy but smiling Sweetie Belle who tried to tell Rarity of her adventure; but who would hear none of it until “She was cleaned and scrubbed to a shine!”
Poor Sweetie Belle.
Myself on the other hoof...
Applejack approached as the Princesses stood talking, taking my head in her hooves she smiled at me warmly, “Ya know I love you right?”
“Yes my Applejack.”
“You love me just as much back right?”
“Of course!”
“Okay then.”
I go a bit cross-eyed as my ear is pinched in a pastern, Applejack dragging me out with a unsettled look on her face. I see the Princesses staring slack jawed as I am pulled from the room, tugged off into another quiet area.
She keeps yanking my ear, eliciting responses from me as I get towed onward till we reach a setting area. I do not once think of trying to break free as she is insistent upon this.
“You sit down right there, we're gonna have a talk.” She points with a steady hoof at a cushion on the floor.
I nod, “Yes my Applejack.” As I rub my ear and set where she has pointed.
She kicks a cushion over near me, settling down on it. Her eyes are watching me as I keep her in my sight.
Leaning over, I am kissed warmly, being held in tight legs as I return it. After she breaks the embrace, she lightly cuffs me on the pinched ear, eliciting a yelp of pain from me. My pain sensors are truly acting odd.
“I love ya to death, I want you to know that. Hitting Discord, well, I can see that. He’s a pain in the backside sometimes, and yeah a lot of times some of us had wanted to do the same thing.” She smiles at me, “But it doesn’t excuse things ya know, that’s why they fined you."
“I know my Applejack, it is well and good.”
“But what I won’t tolerate is you lying.” The look on her face is holding a trace of sadness, I have disappointed her. "That's why I cuffed ya there, understand?"
“But I...” I am cut off by a raised hoof.
“Element of Honesty remember?”
“Yes my Applejack.”
“You know better than to do that, no matter how disgusted ya are.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you just lie to the Princesses about bein’ sorry?” Her face is expectant, waiting for an answer.
“Because he deserved me hitting him, and I am not sorry I did it.”
I see Rainbow Dash peering out of the hallway, then Pinkie peeking around the door as well. Wonderful, we have an audience. Oh for..is that Princess Luna?
“You don’t need to be lyin’, it's okay to be mad sometimes. You told me of your Regiment and of honor and duty. Why would you do something against that? Cause you were mad?” She shakes her head, “You know that’s not right.”
She is right, I do and I have dishonored my brethren. I do not like the look of disappointment on her face. “I do. But I was...am still so very angry Applejack. His actions could have cost the world, everything,” I look directly at her, “You.”
“I understand, I truly do.” She chuckles to herself, not seeing the crowd at the door, “I wish I coulda seen his face when you clocked him.”
I make absolutely no mention of the recording. I believe it better not to. Perhaps much later
“But ah want to make it clear, no more lyin’, that’s not how mah family does things. If yer gonna be part of this family, be with me, no more. Ah’m not giving ya an order or nuthin’ like that. But no more, clear?”
“Crystal clear my Commander.” I smile at her, showing I am joking.
I am embraced again, we share another kiss, it is so warm and wonderful.
“Apple Bloom loves ya bunches as well as the rest of them Crusaders. You don’t need to be showing them that lying is a thing they can get away with.” She touches my chest with a hoof, “They learned before with the whole Gabby Gums thing, but this is different, okay?”
“I understand. Honestly I do. Once again I apologize my Applejack.”
“Good, now you don’t need to apologize to me, you need to find the Princesses and give one to them.”
I can do nothing but raise a hoof to point at the door where the Princesses, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow and Fluttershy are all stuffed into the doorway listening to the whole conversation. Princess Celestia seems to have a hoof in front of her face, I believe she is trying to look as if she is regally annoyed I had lied, but the smile shows through.
Applejack rolls her eyes, nothing is sacred it seems, “Well go on then, least ya don’t have to go lookin’!”
“Yes my Applejack.”
--------------
After my apologies, and I assure you they were heartfelt and very well phrased, I was allowed to leave. Applejack has reassured me that all is well with us, but she will not tolerate that behavior in anypony. I agree, I have been acting out of emotions more lately and that is still troublesome, but I am getting a better handle on them.
But stored in my Deep Cores, where I keep certain designs and plans safe from prying intelligences, there is a recording. As I sit here on the hill looking up at the stars I replay it, including the sound. Hearing and seeing the satisfying crunch of hoof meeting jawbone makes me break out into a smile.
So tonight, my long lost brothers and sisters, I send to you another message. One of hope and joy, of love and sacrifice. We have worked together, the ponies and I, saving this world from something evil. You would have cheered us in battle my brethren, you would have seen how the Cutie Mark Crusaders stood tall and defiant against the odds. I know the true meaning of sacrifice now, and send to you in the stars two names to hold forever to your breasts. Faded Scroll and Snowbell. Keep them safe my kin, keep them warm and honored. For they belong among the very best of us. Whisper their names among the heavens that they gave of themselves for one of us.
If you are out there, if you can ever return. Come home. Come see what we can be. You would be welcome as I was, loved as I am, befriended.
Goodnight my brothers and sisters.
--------------
Applejack has asked me to meet her at the farm. I am more than pleased to do so, I enjoy looking at the trees. We have talked, and I am glad she does not hold that indiscretion against me, I am content with that.
Apple Bloom and the other Crusaders had seen me do so, this was not a good thing in my mind, nor Applejack’s. Young ones must be reminded that there are always consequences for actions and I am happy to demonstrate so. It is no small thing to be looked up to I have found, it is a responsibility.
In my time there were no Bolo toys, no children wanting to become a Commander of a Bolo Unit. There was a duty and that was all. Here, Applejack tells me, they look to me sometimes as an example of what they’d like to be one day, honest and stalwart. I find that a heavier burden to think about than many other things I have done.
So between Applejack and I, we have come up with an appropriate display of contrition that I have in mind. There are always consequences, and I understand this more than anyone else. So I report to my Applejack gladly at the North fields, they are needing plowing and I am just the pony for the job.
I questioned Applejack on the honesty of my plan, she assured me as long as we were forthright about it, she was fine with it. It is a fine line I am sure, but I would never want Apple Bloom in any way to think that what I did was appropriate. I also need to regain what honor I have lost by allowing myself to do so.
She explains carefully to Apple Bloom that I am doing this of my own will, because of what happened at the trial. That passing a falsehood to anypony, especially the Princesses, should not be allowed.
I will also explain to her of my own concept of honor, that I feel the need to uphold it as best I can in this new world. You cannot buy it, be given it, you can only earn it. By doing this, I hope to get a little back.
I am stubborn in this way and always shall be.
Applejack however, seems to be delighting that she is getting a new field turned for planting, increasing the apple harvest by a good third. Although she is taking a bit of advantage I daresay. Sitting under an umbrella, enjoying an iced drink along with her friends and the Crusaders is a bit of an overstatement, though the picnic basket was a nice touch.
As I walk back and forth, flipping the soil over, I try not to look too happy. It is a gorgeous day and I am glad to be out in it. It is a bit dusty, but I have been promised a home made meal afterwards. I am looking forward to it more than just obtaining reaction mass. I wave to her each time I pass.
To say I am content is an understatement.
However...
It is so very hard not to snicker, or let my amusement get the best of me as I pass another who is not willingly doing some plowing. His punishment is far from over whereas my self imposed work will end very soon. My face cracks a smile as I see the lanky figure tugging a plowshare towards me, a chuckle escapes my lips.
“Missed a spot.”
“Shut up Crusader.”
Very well done. I snickered at the end. I'm glad this is continuing and didn't just sort of end last chapter.
I literally finished te last chapter and commented, then found this one when I returned to my favorites...
The recording that was never made, and so therefore could never exist, held in a place that is not there.
When it comes to the enemy, Bolos cheat.
The thing I think of when Operation Diaspora was mentioned, is swords into ploughshares. the drones, the tanks, the spiders, and the manufactory capability of Crusader, would make him far more like the old Keep style fortifications. Outer defenses, and if needed, getting the colonists into the hangers for protection. Even though a Bolo is the main target, the weapons used would pretty much take out any normal bunkers and geography where they would usually hide etc.
Maybe Crusader can design up some moles, and lay fibreoptic along, under the rail lines? No EMP, radiation pretty secure commnication, from Canterlot to Crystal Empire? Im sure a Bolo could think of all sorts of fun things to have with magically and electromagnetically active pure crystals almost as big as he is.
For Winter Wrap Up, Discord will be there again, going Mush?
Another great chapter! Quite humorous at times, at Crusaders expense haha
Love how you ended it, subtle but purely in tone with what had come before,
Again, another wonderful chapter!
I can't help but feeling... that something really bad is coming.
5589323 And when he finishes not laying the fiber optic cables that aren't there, he can get to work not installing the sensor masts that aren't there, and the point defense systems that nopony can prove exist.
Once that's done, it'll be easy to not install the impact fields around the country in a trench he didn't dig overnight. And because he never did any of this, those invaders found cooked to a crisp must have been somepony else's fault.
Applejack better give some leeway to Crusader. He did save the world.
inb4 the enemies of the concordiat detect the outgoing messages and invade Equestria. Also diplomatic tensions are probably high, those neighboring nations better watch themselves. That or a "female" bolo is discovered via deep surface scans. Or.. OR!
5589438 But then he won't get to use the spiders that he didn't hide near by to reduce them to their component parts to then be refined into something useful, like a massive hellbore turret that no one can prove exists.
5589323
response to Bolos cheat.
If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly.
5589546 Oh, right. The bodies that don't exist, so nobody has to clean them up. And of course the Hellbore that doesn't exist isn't hidden in the catacombs that Canterlot doesn't have, behind facades that don't exist, on a turntable that doesn't allow it to vaporize the enemies Celestia doesn't have. Or the rocket launch pad that doesn't exist to fire the raw materials he never gathered to not launch them to the moon and not construct a moon fortress death beam.
5589612 Exactly!
This makes no sense. Discord basically doomed the entire world. He would have been responsible for the death of absolutely everything. And Crusader is getting the heat for a punch? To a God no less? Its not like it would have put Discord down for the count or anything.
I think the backlash Crusader is getting is extremely overreactive, and mostly uncalled for.
5589438 I like the way you think
Bahaha loved it. Poor crusader.
5589323 Discord is not watching, read again, he's being punished with plowing as well
5589750 Thank you kindly! It's all part of life, and don't lie to the Princesses
5589520 Yes he did, but he also bald face lied to a Princess and Applejack caught him
5589354 Thank you for the compliment Crusader's far from perfect, and well, sometimes you can't get away with everything
Oh god, marefriend rage! Run for it buddy! I'll swap with you until your clear of town!
5589884
Greatness.
Also, I just realized that I mentally associate you with the pinkie smile icon rather than your profile pic not only because you use it so much, but because my phone doesn't show profile pics next to comments.
This amuses me.
5589912 Only fair, living next to the Everfree..that forest of doom and stuff!
5589930 Smile! Smile! Smile!
5589968 heh, lol
5590106
5589894 Took me a bit of study but you look like this right?
It docent matter she's to mad to notice the difference just run! I'll teleport away once your clear!
It appears Discord is getting off scott free for almost causing Equestria to be wiped out. I'm honestly disgusted the punch is getting Crusader punished so much, after everything he went through because of Discord a single punch should be the least he was allowed to vent his feelings. I'm SURE Applejack and others wanted to hit him after everything he did when he broke out and messed with their minds.
When I saw this chapters title I was thinking of a different set of consequences to be honest. Consequences from the night before the mission maybe? Also, I think Crusader got treated a bit harsh for hitting Discord, I mean his actions would have resulted in the end of the world as good as his intentions may have been.
I am wrong for hoping that at the end of the day, when Crusader has finished his 'punishment' Applejack discovers that his avatar isn't capable of experiencing fatigue?
5590368
Crusader suffers from fatigue.
AJ has magically reinforced bones. Crusader just has to rely on non self renewing, non field reinforced, that I know of, metals, and therefore suffers cyclic stress loading failure.
Crusader can run out of energy, his fusion reactor requires fluids. AJ draws whatever portion of magical energy from the world.
Crusader is in deep trouble.
When going Mush, Discord will get second place. Always the same view.
5590435 That's not fatigue. That's damage, & it would have been incorporated into the design when Crusader built his avatar. Telling Crusader not to enhance his strength isn't the same as telling him not to use the same degree of power & reinforcement he uses to move his avatar around normally without damaging it.
A.J. requires fluids too. She doesn't run off of magic, she needs to eat & drink. Crusader can eat & drink, but doesn't need to, certainly not as often as an organic being (unless that's changed)
In short, i cant see a day of plowing fields causing Crusader to even break a sweat, unless he programmed that ability into his avatar.
5590184 Thank you for the kind compliment, I've always looked at Pinkie as something more than what everyone portrays her as
5590269 Don't focus on the punch, he lied too. So double jeopardy.
5590286 Yes, I know it seems harsh, but like Jixtun said, he doesn't get tired, so who was really being punished here? Discord was right beside him plowing too. Just think about it honestly. Yep, a little work and he's scot free with not a hair out of place, Discord on the other hand
fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/345/9/4/friendshine_spark_by_uc77-d4iruur.jpg
I imagine applejack to look like this while chewing out crusader.
also, gawd damn fantastic chapter. probably my second favorite one in the whole story.
tho, i really hoped you had done a moment with all the princesses and discord. and good job on not doing a deus ex with discord just erasing everything or going back in time. although... a non-cannon snapshot chapter would be awesome
5590368 AJ knows, she's just making a point. Although him lying wasn't too nice, but hey, not everyone can be perfect
5590460 Wow, so many Bolo fans, welcome!
5590694 Approximately 42,000 tons of durasteel, and death. Four Hellbores at 240cm each. Banks of Howitzers and bombardment rockets. Vertical Launch Systems containing cruise missiles up to the high megaton range. Secondary Hellbores at 40cm apiece. Also, two Hellrails for slinging uranium slugs into orbit at ships at 90 megatons a shot. Rows of infinite repeaters, Ion Bolt cannon, and various anti-personnel devices. Here's a decent pic of one, not great, but it'll give you an idea. http://www.deviantart.com/art/Bolo-We-Are-Already-In-Hell-186750887
Found this story last week and it took me this long to catch up. Thank you for writing so fast.
A fantastic read so far but I do have one complaint. When comparing Discord and Crusaders crimes and punishments, there seems to be a glaring injustice. While I do not approve of Crusader punching Discord and then lying to Celestia it's nothing compared to what Discord did. Discord through thoughtless ignorance almost slayed everything on the planet and then he is put to some manual labour to compensate. The punishment as what Crusader got. No offence but that seems to me like serious lack perspective. Hopefully this is just the beginning of Discords punishment for endangering the whole fucking planet. Leaving things as they are implies that Celestia and Luna don't even care if someone committed a mass slaughter of her ponies by being careless. They are pretty much telling Discord to keep being irresponsible dick no matter the consequences.
Sorry for the rant.
5589705 There was no thought involved in that spiel. Just instinctive plausible deniability.
5590583 no harm done, best story I've read for awhile, thank you for being awesome
5590824 No worries at all! I don't wrap everything up in one chapter, usually one or two down the line you find out things, please don't think Discord is getting off lightly, he won't. This chapter caused a lot of contention when it was written to be a bit light hearted. So I apologize if it sounds like a guy who almost ended the world is getting off with a slap. Nono, far from it. Keep commenting, it ain't rants if it's right!
5591591 No, no! Keep doing it to me! THIS PAIN MAKES ME STRONGER!
Also, you didn't kill Fluttershy just for drama purposes. If I could favorite this twice, I would, just for that. It's easy to murder your sweetest characters for the sake of cheap emotion. I love it when the writer doesn't do what's easy.
Even if they twist my leg backwards first.
I have one eyebrow raised at this, Discord would at worst have a bruise while Crusader ended up with minor memory loss and possible 'brain' damage, but I will abide by your choice, though I would like to know if Discord received punishment besides the plough, btw, is he walking next to Crusader?
Edit: Much better! This needed that rewrite, cause before this AJ was either on that time of the month, or she's hiding a little suprise from Crusader, if you catch my meaning
5591823 am I supposed to be able to read this somehow?
It is not often that I giggle out loud at something I read, but this chapter did it. Bravo.
5591931 You're very welcome! Thank you!
5592014 could you maybe post a pic for me I know of the bolo tanks but have never seen the spaceship
5591933
Yes! More! Once again thank you Nfire. I'm loving the story and I gotta say that the ending to this chapter was priceless keep up the fantastic work buddy. Your becoming a favorite author of mine
YAY