You will be Upgraded

by EmperorDalek

Incidents in the Forest

‘’So…are you some sort of Golem?’’ Applebloom asked, curiously.

‘’Explain.’’ It replied.

‘’A Golem is a creature that is made out of stone. Are you a sub-species which is made out of metal?’’ She asked.

‘’Negative. Cybermen are upgraded. They’re natural flesh, bone, and blood is sealed inside the armor casings.’’ It replied. She nodded impressed. ‘’I wasn’t always a Cyberman. Once, I was unique. I possessed an appearance that was all my own. My own skin, my own hair, and my own eyes-‘’ It told her. ‘’But an unfortunate even happened which lead to me being upgraded, and becoming a Cyberman.’’ Her impressed glance, faded into a saddened stare.

‘’W-what happened?’’ She asked, sympathetically.

‘’I died.’’ It replied.

Applebloom trotted over towards a small stack of hay. She grabbed it – Fashioning it into the shape of a cube, and sitting herself down on it.

‘’But there’s still one thing I don’t understand, Mr Cyberman-‘’ She said. ‘’Why did you save my friends and me? Why did you save us from the Timer Wolves?’’ She asked. He became motionless. Staring blankly down at her. ‘’Considering you just happened to stumble upon us, what made you decide to save these three Fillies?’’ She asked.

‘’Fillies?’’ He asked confused.

‘’Oh! Right!’’ She exclaimed. Smacking her hoof against her forehead. ‘’I’m so sorry. I didn’t tell you. I’m a Filly. If you have children where you’re from, that’s our term for it.’’

‘’Anyway, back to my question: Why did you save us?’’ She asked.

‘’Why shouldn’t I? Three small helpless creatures are trapped in a tree, being chased by wooden Wolves. I did what I felt was right.’’ It replied.

Rounding the corner. Silent as ghost. Applejack trotted into their proximity. Her eyes were closed, so she hadn’t yet noticed the Cyberman talking to her sister.

‘’Hey Applebloom! Weren’t you supposed to-‘’ Applejack called out. She opened her eyes, and looked out in front of her. Her sight fell upon a tall, silver, two-legged creature that towered over her little sister, who was sitting down a chair in front of it.

Both Applebloom, and the Cyberman turned towards her.

‘’Get away from my sister!’’ Applejack shouted towards it. Applebloom stood up from her chair of hay. Trotting towards her sister.

‘’No! Wait! Applejack! Its okay!’’ She tried to calm her sister. But it was too late…She had already been registered.

The tall, armored, creature, started to take several steps forward. Coming to a halt above Applebloom.

‘’Hostile element detected!’’ It said. It raised its arm, aiming it at Applejack. ‘’Hostile elements will be deleted!’’ It said.

Applebloom turned, looking up. She saw its arm, and she knew what that meant. Atop, a small thing that looked a stolen Unicorn horn appeared.

‘’Delete!’’ It shouted.

‘’NO!’’ Applebloom shouted, as she leaped towards the Cyberman’s arm. She caught it with her hooves, pushing it away. A beam shot from it. It passed by Applejack, just missing the side of her mane, and flying past her. The beam shot into the wall, creating a massive hole.

‘’Whoa, nilly!’’ Applejack exclaimed. She jumped to the side, hiding behind several stacks of hay.

She heard a loud explosion sound from behind her. Peeking her head out, she saw another large hole in the wall. To her relief, she also heard coughing. Hopeful, she galloped out from behind the hay, and moved towards where she had last seen Applebloom.

Out from the hay. Applebloom crawled. Coughing a little bit. Before she could look up, she was embraced in a tight hug by Applejack.

‘’I-I-…I’m all right!’’ She wheezed.

‘’Oh, right. Sorry.’’ Applejack apologized. She let go of her sister. Sometimes Applejack’s hugs could be as dangerous as Pinkies.

Applejack approached the destroyed hole in her Barn. Looking out, she tried to catch a glimpse of that, armored, thing. Thank goodness she had stumbled upon it in time, otherwise things could have gone down a lot worse.

‘’Twilight needs to know. I don’t where it is, but if that thing is still out there, we need to find it before it causes more harm.’’ Applejack said to herself. She turned, and looked down at Applebloom, strictly.

‘’I’m going to go tell Twilight about that thing being here. Meanwhile, I want you to go hang out with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. I would feel much better if as knew that you were with somepony I can trust.’’ Applejack said.

‘’Sure thing, Applejack.’’ Applebloom replied.

Applebloom was going to go find her friends. In reality, though, she had a different plan than the one Applejack had for her.

Applejack used her muzzle, and lifted her sister up onto her back. She started too galloped out the Barn. Heading towards Ponyville with all the speed she could muster.

After dropping Applebloom off at Rarity’s boutique. Applejack informed Rarity of the encounter at the Barn.

‘’Dear sweet Celestia!’’ Rarity replied once Applejack was finished. ‘’Come on. Let’s go.’’ She instructed, heading for the door.

Applebloom hurried upstairs to Sweetie Belle’s room.

She knocked on the door, and Sweetie opened it.

‘’Oh! Hey Applebloom. Come in.’’ Sweetie Belle said. Motioning for her friend to enter. Applebloom trotted inside, at which point Sweetie closed the door behind her.

‘’Have ya heard anything from Scoots?’’ Applebloom asked.

‘’No. I haven’t seen her at all.’’ Sweetie replied. Shrugging with her shoulders.

‘’Well, we’ve got to find her. I know what we’re going to be doing today for our crusading.’’

‘’What?’’ She asked, intrigued.

‘’We’re gonna find that Cyberman.’’ Applebloom replied.

‘’The what?’’ Sweetie Belle asked confused.

‘’I’ll explain on the way.’’ Applebloom replied.

*Hours earlier*

There was a loud beeping. Several figures attended to the control console. ‘’Energy fluxuation detected.’’ A figure spoke. Another figure approached it. ‘’The Location?’’ It asked. ‘’It is being detected in proximity to the Everfree Forest.’’ It replied. ‘’Prepare a squad. We’re leaving there, now.’’ The newcomer instructed. ‘’Aye, sir.’’ She replied.

‘’WHAT!?’’ Twilight exclaimed. ‘’You’re sure of this?’’ She asked.

‘’Perfectly. Ah don’t know many Twilight, but ah know when my eyes deceive me, and they weren’t.’’ Applejack replied.

‘’Well, shouldn’t we inform Princess Celestia? If a creature that powerful is roaming the world free, it could cause some serious harm.’’ Rarity interjected.

‘’Um…We don’t know why it was in the Barn-‘’ Fluttershy tried to speak. ‘’Ah! Who cares what it was doing in the Barn? It was staying the night so it could continue today, going wherever it’s going.’’ Rainbow Dash interrupted.

‘’We should keep it quiet until it becomes dire to inform the Princess of its existence. Unwanted panic could be spread if we don’t.’’ Twilight said.

‘’Then what do we do? We can’t just sit back and do nothing.’’ Rainbow said.

‘’I know. That’s why we’re going into the forest to find it.’’ Twilight replied.

*Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest*

I suddenly stopped running. Coming to a complete and utter halt. I turned around. Looking behind me, I couldn’t see any sign of pursuit, or attack.

He came to a halt. He raised his arm up, checking his weapon.

‘’Good. It didn’t suffer any damage when she attacked me. ‘’ He reassured himself. He lowered his arm. Looking out in front of him. ‘’I should seek shelter for when the night comes. There may not have a pursuit party now, but I doubt any creatures would allow a Cyberman to wander freely on their planet…Although, that Filly, Applebloom didn’t seem to know what a Cyberman was, so I should be safe, for the time being.’’ He turned his head, looking around, scouting his surroundings.

‘’Scan In-progress.’’ He said, as a different sort of vision appeared. He could see faint, small, heatsignatures in the distance...But it was unlikely that they might prove to be a great enough threat to him, just to be safe he should keep his distance – Unless, of course, he somehow miraculously becomes a Nightmare in Silver Cyberman. Then he can pretty much deal with anything they throw at him.

Suddenly, his audio receptors picked up something. He turned his head, looking to the side.

‘’Enhance audio frequency.’’ He said to himself. He brought his arm up to his chest, just like a Cyberman would. No reason, he just wanted to do it. The volume he had picked up, started to get stronger, and stronger.

‘’Do you think this is such a good idea? What if the creature finds us?’’ An unseen figure asked.

‘’Of course. If I was hidin’ out here, I would go to the one place no one would suspect you of hiding – The Ruins.’’ A familiar voice spoke. If he had just to be precise about it, he would say that it sounded southern, going by Earth standards.

He removed his arm from his chest, moving it back down. ‘Ruins? If what she says is true, then I may just have found a good hiding spot for a few days.’

Beginning to move forward, he started to move in direction of the voice, following the frequency in which it was coming from.

Pushing several bushes aside. He strode out into an open spot. He turned his head, examining, and scanning the local surroundings. He had been foolish to not search his surroundings the last time before he slept. But not this time.

‘’Location secured. No lifeforms detected.’’ He said.

He turned his head, looking down in front of him.

‘’Whoa!’’ He exclaimed. Only a few feet in front of him stood what looked like a drawbridge. He followed it towards the other side. ‘Oh shit!’

He raised his leg, holding it out in front of him. ‘’One step…That’s all it takes.’’ Gently putting his foot down on the wood, he expected it to break. But surprisingly it didn’t. He looked down, sighing in relief.

‘’Phew! That went well.’’ He said. He reached down towards the robes with his hands, grabbing hold of them. ‘’And now, for the second steeeeeeehhhhhhhh!’’ The bridge snapped, and his foot crashed through the wood. He fell forward, causing the bridge’s bindings on his side to snap – He and the entire bridge fell down.

‘’Well…This is just fucking perfect.’’ He said to himself, as he hung onto the drawbridge. He looked up, seeing that he was now in a position that felt eerily similar, and unfortunately it was a situation he didn’t really want to be in, because he remembered how it ended the last time.

He looked up, and saw that the wooden planks had not been completely broken. He reached up with his arm, grabbing hold of it – He gripped the rope for safe measure, as well. Then, with slow movement, he started to raise his other free hand up – He grabbed another plank, and started to heave himself up.

Finally. With a final pull, he lifted himself up. He placed his foot firmly on the ground – He didn’t bother to turn around and look down, he would just undo everything he had set out to accomplish if he did. He instead started to walk towards what he had strived to reach – The Ruins, as they had called it.

He placed his hand on the door, and pushed it open. He strode inside, not bothering to close it behind him.

‘’You did it. Good job.’’ He congratulated himself. Having made it this far on a planet he had never been before felt like it needed that. ‘’I should find myself a place to rest for now. It is drawing towards night, and I would do well in keeping a low profile.’’

He started to walk, heading for a random corridor.

*Several hours later*

High upon the sky. Beams of blue light shined down upon the ruins of the ancient castle of the two Pony Sisters. The wind blew through its silent, hollow shell…Like the corpse of a dead creature.

‘’Come on Applebloom. We’ve been wandering this place for hours.’’ Scootaloo whined, as they rounded a corner. Applebloom turned, starring back at the Pegasus with a confused face.

‘’What are you talkin’ about? It’s only been a half-hour…Ah think.’’ Applebloom replied.

‘’Yeah, whatever. Can we please go home now, I’m beginning to get tired, and I want to go home, and relax with something nice.’’ Scootaloo said.

‘’Fine…!’’ Applebloom groaned. Scootaloo raised her head, holding it high. ‘’But only after we’ve searched the throne room. We haven’t there yet.’’ She continued. Scoots, lowered her head, starring towards the Earth Pony with an unimpressed expression. Sighing, softly.

*Meanwhile, elsewhere in the case*

‘’Steady girls. We don’t want to make too much noise. We might risk alerting the creature.’’ Twilight instructed.

‘’Got ya, Twilight.’’ Applejack replied.

‘’Yeah. Don’t worry about it, Twilight. We will find it.’’ Rainbow Dash said. Flying down towards the lavender Alicorn.

The cyan Pegasus flew up above the ruins. Looking down upon it. In the corner of her eye, she spotted something. It was only there for a second, but it was unmistakable what it was. ‘’Applebloom?’’ She said to herself.

*Meanwhile, someplace else…Again*

Rounding the corner. The three little Fillies enter inside a large chamber, though, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo is having some trouble catching up to their friend. But as soon as they round the corner, and enter inside the throne room. They stop dead in their tracks – They’re jaws drop, and their eyes stare up at the figure in front of them. In front of them sits Applebloom, though, her jaw has not dropped.

Sitting on one of the thrones, barely laminated by the moonlight, was the bipedal creature that Applebloom had told them about. The one who had saved them from the Timber Wolves yesterday. Its arms were resting atop the sides of the throne. Starring silently towards the entrance.

‘’Oh my…It’s even more ugly up-close.’’ Scootaloo commented.

‘’SSHHHHHH!’’ Applebloom shushed the Filly. Looking towards her with a frightened look. ‘’If you insult it, who knows what’ll happen.’’ Looking from side to side, her eyes noticed that something had happened while she had been talking to Scootaloo. ‘’Wait a minute. Where is Sweetie Belle?’’ She asked.

‘’How do you think this thing works? Is it actually alive like us, or is it just some weird Golem-thing.’’ Applebloom heard a voice behind her speak. She turned, and looked behind her. Standing in front of the Cyberman, Sweetie Belle was reaching out with her hoof towards the creature’s leg.

‘’Sweetie Belle! No!’’ Applebloom shouted, reaching out with her hoof. Sweetie turned, and looked behind her. But it was already too late – Her hoof touched against the creature’s leg.

She immediately retracted it. She raised her head, looking up towards the creature’s head.

‘’Oh no.’’ Applebloom said.

‘’Hibernation Cycle interrupted!’’ A loud, un-natural, voice, spoke. Sweetie Belle gulped. She dared not to move.

The creature started to stand up, moving its hands off the throne, placing them beside it. It lowered its head, looking down at the white, little, Filly that stood motionless in front of it, staring up at it.

Sweetie, gently, moved her head back to the side towards her friends. ‘’Girls! A little help over here!’’ She said. In response to what she had just done. The creature raised its head, and looked out to where Applebloom and Scootaloo was standing.

It didn’t do anything, it just stood there motionlessly. Unbeknown to them. The creature was performing a biological scan on them.

‘’H-help me girls!’’ Sweetie Belle whimpered to her friends. Wanting to save her friend from being so close to that terrible, silver monster. Scootaloo prepared to do whatever it took to save her friend…Even sacrifice herself for her.

She stepped up towards the throne, taking a defensive stance. Before she could do anything further. Applebloom noticed what she was doing, and intervened. She reached out, grabbing hold of her friend, holding her back.

‘’No!’’ Applebloom shouted, grabbing Scootaloo by the tail, and holding her back. Scootaloo landed down on the floor – She turned, and looked back towards Applebloom, confused,

‘’What are you do-‘’ Scots attempted to complain.

‘’Shhh!’’ Applebloom hushed her. She looked back, starring towards the creature, before looking back at the grounded Pegasus. ‘’Trust me on this…I’ve meet it before.’’ She explained.

‘’What?’’ Scots reacted, confused. Applebloom let go of Scootaloo’s tail, and proceeded to trot up towards the throne, and the creature.

‘’H-hello. Do you remember me?’’ She asked the creature. It didn’t respond. ‘’Um, yeah…Anyway, I’m so sorry for my friend’s behavior. You must understand that she was just trying to protect her friend.’’ She pointed her hoof towards the cowering form of Sweetie Belle at its feet. It looked down at the small Unicorn. She was indeed frightened of it. It looked up, starring back at Applebloom again.

‘’So…I was just wondering if you would be so kind as to maybe step a little to the side so she would feel safe enough to come back to us…Please?’’ Applebloom asked towards the creature. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The sight was just incredible, and impossible to fathom – Applebloom acting like she knew this thing, and even talking like they had meet before.

Suddenly. A thought formed in Scootaloo’s head. She put her hoof under her chin.

‘Wait a minute.’ She thought to herself. ‘She can’t possibly be…’

Suddenly. Down from the crack in the ceiling above. A large source of energy hurtled down into the spot where the creature was standing. The impact caused both it and Sweetie Belle to be flung away from each other. They both landed on separate spots on the floor.

‘’Sweetie Belle!’’ Applebloom and Scootaloo called out in unison. ‘’Sweetie Belle!’’ Another voice called out from above them.

They looked up, and saw an Alicorn flying in the air.

‘’Twilight!’’ They two Fillies called out. She turned, and looked in their direction.

Up from behind them, several familiar Ponies galloped up towards them. One of them using it’s magic to lift the unconscious Sweetie Belle up onto its back, and the other using its muzzle to lift Applebloom up onto her back. Down from the above, a Cyan Pegasus flew down, and picked up Scootaloo. Flying up into the sky with her. The newcomer turned, and started to gallop out of the room with their little passengers.

‘’No! Wait! We can’t leave…Not now!’’ Applebloom protested against her sister, as the doorway vanished further, and further. ‘’You have to go back, otherwise it’ll kill her!’’

‘’We are havin’ a strict talkin’ to when we get home.’’ Applejack replied. Seemingly ignoring what her sister had just been trying to tell her.

Back in the throne room. Twilight hovered, silently in the air, as she starred down towards the strange creature as it stood back up on its legs. It turned, looking up towards her.

‘Shit! I’ve suffered 10% damage!’ He cursed internally to himself. He focused on his attacker, starring silently back at her, as he started to scan her.

‘’You will identify immediately’’ He ordered to his opponent. He raised his arm, pointing his energy gun towards her. ‘’Identify or be deleted!’’ He shouted, making sure that she understood not to mess with him.

‘’Tell me who you are, what you are, and why you are?’’ Twilight shouted back. Atop her horn a small build-up of energy started to form. In case this creature was going to get violent.

‘’Identify!!’’ He shouted even louder, beginning to get bored of playing games with this little Horse-thing. But she remained still in the air, glaring down at him. ‘Oh, so you want to be like that?’

There was a soft bleep in his mind, and he knew that it was finished. The scan was complete.

‘’No! But that’s impossible!’’ He blurted out. He looked slightly down. Attracting her attention. Her magic powered down, and she stared blankly at him.

‘’What? What’s impossible?’’ She asked, curious.

‘’Energy readouts are off the chart! You are-AHHHHHHHHH’’ Suddenly. He was struck by violent electrical charges. He turned to try and get a look at whoever it was that had attacked him…But before he could, he collapsed down onto the ground. His vision went black, and he found himself unable to move.

Twilight floated down towards the floor. Landing, gently, on it. She approached the downed metal creature. Giving it a gentle tap of her hoof. But it wasn’t doing anything…It was dead.

‘’What the-‘’ Twilight asked, confused. Without a moment’s warning, she was struck on the back of her head. She collapsed down onto the floor of the throne room.

*A little while later*

‘’Twilight…? Twilight…? Twilight!?’’ She heard several voices speak to her. She, slowly, opened her eyes. Looking out in front of her.

She shot up, sitting up-right. Starring out in front of her…Only to be meet with the sight of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle starring back at her.

‘’Huh! Who!? What!?’’ She asked franticly.

‘’Whoa, there, sugarcube. Calm yourself.’’ Applejack motioned, putting her hoof against Twilight’s chest, trying to prevent her from doing too much movement. Twilight looked around the room. But there was no sign of the creature, or whoever had attacked her.

‘’W-where is it?’’ Twilight asked, concerned. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie looked at each other…Before returning their attention to Twilight again.

‘’I’m sorry, sugarcube…But when we got back, the creature was gone, and you were layin’ down on the floor. Not movin’.’’ Applejack replied. Lowering her Stretson a little.

‘’What!? You let it get away!?’’ She exclaimed.

‘’No! No. No, darling…We said it was gone when we came back, we didn’t actually see it leave.’’ Rarity replied.

Author's Note:

This will be the last chapter for a while. I haven't written anything at the moment...Yet.
It will return...Maybe in a week, or a month, who knows. But certainly, soon enough.

Comments

[Vinyl Nexus Scratch]

6555555 Wouldn't Cybermen be airtight? I hardly think that one of the most deadly things in the entire universe would be beaten by sticking it in a big pond and waiting for its joints to rust XD

[EmperorDalek]

6556850 true

[snowblind]

awww... just when i have alot of free time like weeks of free time you have to go on a small hiatus

[EmperorDalek]

6557076 I'm on one almost every day, so don't worry about it.
If it's about new chapters, then you need not worry.