Cyberpony Y2K

by J3sterking

Prologue

It was a warm, sunny day in Ponyville, with a light breeze gently blowing through the trees, carrying with it the faint sound of a classical violin. If you followed the sound, you'd end up at a small, unassuming house on the border of the Everfree Forest.

The forest itself was, perhaps, the most dangerous place in Equestria. Even living close to it, like the citizens of Ponyville did, was considered wild and reckless.

The Earth pony inside played on, however, her eyes closed in concentration. The music she played was from memory alone, every note playing in her mind before it was sounded out perfectly on the violin.

The bow moved back and forth, until, finally, she finished it off. Octavia Melody opened her eyes, letting out a sigh of contentment.

Her musical career had long since ended, unfortunately, but she still loved the music that had earned her her Cutie Mark. She set the bow and violin down, eyes traveling to her to-do list, and she let out a less contented sigh.

Octavia's hooves tapped against the ground as she stepped over, picking the list and exposing the handgun beneath it. She lifted up the list, examining it carefully, and then set it down. She strode past her table, around her living room couch, and into the small side-room that was her bedroom. The house had four total rooms in all, but was mostly just open space between them. Her belongings, personal or otherwise, were stashed into the corners and sides of the rooms for want of better storage.

Octavia opened her wardrobe, shoving aside a few old coats and a ragged pair of jeans. She'd once worn fancier outfits—even though ballgowns and dresses had never been her thing, she'd had a certain fancy for tuxedos. Now, however, it was baggy cargo pants, a dark brown tank-top, and a slate gray jacket that almost matched her coat, but not quite. Though Rarity Belle, the beautiful mare who'd designed it, had done her best, practicality had won out over fashion, and she was left with an utterly drab outfit that did its job really well.

She pulled on her belt, and spent an embarrassing amount of time looking for her gun in the nightstand before she remembered it was in her living room.

"Never sharing that story," she muttered to herself. She holstered it, then made sure her top properly concealed it. Finally, her goggles came on, but she let them hang around her neck as she headed for her door.

Octavia paused in the doorway, looking out into the Everfree. A pair of glowing green eyes met hers, and she saw at least one other pair off in the woods behind it. The stench was something else entirely, and had her gagging even as she pulled out her gun. She loaded in a lead round—no use in wasting the more expensive emerald ones—and fired into the trees.

The Drakes were a crowd favorite gun model, but one thing no one praised about them was that they were loud. The gun's retort echoed through the nearby trees and down the valley, and both Timberwolves were sent off running.

While she didn't 'like' the noise, the Drake did a wonderful job scaring off Timberwolves, and the other denizens of Everfree. She holstered it again, before trotting on down the rough dirt path out of her house.

She perhaps would have seen other ponies, but her destination was also outside the town.

The familiar old, unchanging sign hung over the same old gate she'd always seen. Octavia walked under it, smiling to herself, and strode down the path to the farm buildings.

This far out in the country, you could see old-school houses, nothing like the rich, technology filled mansions you'd see in the cities. Octavia had sorely missed those at first, and still did, sometimes, but she lived with it.

"Hello!" she called out, waving to the pony and the android out in front of the barn. "I'm not running late, am I?"

Rarity was a stunningly beautiful unicorn who reclined on a wooden chair with her purse swinging off one arm. Today, she'd chosen to wear a pink dress and business skirt, with a sun bonnet hanging low over her forehead.

Applejack, meanwhile, was a Workhorse, though a bit bulkier than most of her model. She easily cleared Octavia's and even Rarity's height. Since she wasn't working and was heading into the city, she'd chosen to be 'fancied up' as she'd say. Jeans and a denim jacket adorned her, and to top it off was her old stetson hat on top of the faux hair.

"Not at all, darling," Rarity called back. "The rest of us are just a touch early, is all."

"Well, it is my house," the android replied. She turned and gave a nod to Octavia, adding, "Ya can't expect me to be late, now."

"That is true," Octavia muttered, pulling a sleeve back to check her watch. "We should get going either way. The Friendship Express will be leaving shortly."

"My, always moving, aren't you, darling?" Rarity chuckled.

"I do have an appointment to keep," Octavia replied. "I'm surprised he agreed to the meeting at all, really."

"This'll be yer first time seeing him since..." Applejack trailed off.

"Since my music career ended, yes," Octavia replied shortly. "I suppose he has fond memories of me, regardless. I do wish that my first meeting with him in years wasn't business related, but, well, it is what it is."

"You'll have some time for idle chat, too," Rarity put in. "I definitely plan on a lengthy discourse with Coco, aside from my errands."

"Then we really shouldn't stand here talking all day," Octavia repeated firmly, checking her watch again. "I'd rather not be late."

"Of course, darling," Rarity said with a pleasant smile despite Octavia's eternal impatience. "Shall we get going, then?"

Octavia nodded. "Let's."

They started moving, trotting off towards town. "By the way," Octavia asked, "how's Sweetie Belle doing?"

"She's doing alright," Rarity replied. "She's definitely opening up more nowadays. She's made great friends with Scootaloo and Applebloom, too!"

"Yeah, Applebloom was just tellin' me about that," Applejack said. "They're thinkin' of startin' a club! 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' or somethin'."

"That'll be...an odd group," Octavia said. "Where do they plan on meeting?"

"I had to tell 'em no to the castle," Applejack said dryly.

Octavia spluttered. "The castle? In the Everfree?"

Applejack nodded. "I don't know what their plan for even gettin' out there was. They all know how to shoot, but that won't help too much about some of the worst critters out there."

"Here, here," Rarity said. "Besides, I don't want them in any sort of situation where they'll have to shoot anything, anyway."

Applejack nodded. "There's a time and a place for it, and for them, it ain't come to that yet."

Octavia's brow furrowed. She hoped that the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' wouldn't have to worry about that. But, if she thought about it, that didn't make any sense. There would always be more threats to worry about, sooner or later.

"Hey, guys!"

A familiar, overly chipper voice called out to them. Octavia stopped, then let out a small sigh to herself, before she turned around. "Hello, Gloriosa," she said.

A magenta Earth pony in a golden-yellow dress trotted over, short tail flicking back and forth. "I was just wanting to wish you good luck on your trip," she said with a grin. "We've worked with Fancy Pants before, he's a kind soul."

"That he is," Octavia agreed. She was about to point out that ponies were getting loaded on the train ahead of them, but she didn't like to brush off Glorisoa.

"I know you've met him before, and I was just thinking that a gift might be--"

"Gloriosa?" she interrupted. "That's not really going to do anything."

"Relax, Gloriosa," Applejack said, putting an arm around her shoulders. She squeezed her into a half-hug, adding, "Octavia and Fancy Pants are old friends. He'll listen to her."

"...Right," Gloriosa relented. "I'm just...terrified to think of what might happen to those poor androids if Fancy sells."

"He knows, too, so he won't," Octavia said. "Fancy's a good colt, and an avid supporter of android rights. I'm confident we'll have this sorted quickly, and the androids safe from harm."

Gloriosa nodded, then gave Applejack a hug. "I'm certian you gals have everything in hoof."

"We got this," Applejack said dryly, her 'eyes'--or the electronic representation of them, anyway—turning to happily closed.

"Aaaaall aboard!" the conductor shouted.

"We need to get going," Octavia said. "Lovely talking, Gloriosa! Goodbye!" She took off at a canter, heading for the train as quickly as she could.

Rarity and Applejack boarded right behind her, and they quickly got settled into seats as the train whistle blew. The train jolted, then slowly began moving. Octavia waved goodbye to Glorisoa as the train rolled out.

"I still remember that ruby-fueled train I rode to Los Pegasus," Rarity mentioned. "Smoothest trainride I've ever had."

"Fire rubies aren't exactly cheap," Applejack replied.

"Psh! If people afford them for cooking grills, and bullets, then the train isn't that much more expensive."

"Comparatively," Applejack said. "But gem-trains are a lot more expensive than coal trains."

"She does have a point," Octavia said. "As much as I miss the thrills and benefits of high-society, most can't afford those. They have to make do with somewhat archaic technology. But it works, so who am I to complain?"

"I suppose you're right," Rarity relented with a sigh.

A mare pushed a cart to a stop besides their seats, asking, "Snacks? Anypony?"

A sudden hunger pain reminded Octavia of her skimpy breakfast that morning. "Yes, please," she said, choosing a pastry off the tray.

"Don't tell me you skipped out on breakfast again," Applejack said as the cart rolled past.

"I ate!" Octavia said defensively.

Applejack's visor raised an eyebrow.

"A little," Octavia admitted.

Applejack folded her arms over her chest.

"A small plate of hay fries reheated in the microwave," Octavia admitted with a sigh. "I get paid on the fifteenth."

"Darling," Rarity said, "you need to eat more."

"She has plenty of money, she just wanted to play her violin," Applejack said simply.

"Did you...ahem...hear that?" Octavia cleared her throat.

"Eeyup. Up until you fired the Drake."

Octavia winced. "Sorry, I didn't realize you could hear."

"Eh, don't apologize," Applejack said, waving it off. "Them timberwolves gotta be scared off somehow."

"Hear the music," Octavia clarified.

"Oh. Well, ain't none of us mind that, or we'd have told ya by now," Applejack chuckled. "You play mighty fine, Octavia."

"Hear, hear," Rarity agreed. "Such a pity that 'classical' isn't in season."

"I think I'm doing better work with Everfree than I did back then," Octavia replied smoothly. "But, yes, I do still miss my musical career—as much of one as I had."

"Well, you at least get an audience cheering for you," Rarity said, giving a smile.

Octavia blushed. "Most of those are work-in-progress..."

"Well, then we'll be really happy to hear the real thing," Rarity replied. "You got Sweetie Belle interested in music."

"I...did, now?" Octavia asked. "That's good to hear. She needs a hobby."

"Well, yes," Rarity said. "It might also do her some good to work with other ponies, even if it's an audience and not personal interaction..."

Octavia stopped participating in the inane chatter after that, eyes turning to the windows, as the countryside scenery faded to gemstone billboards with flashing lights.

And, finally, a massive sign with glowing emerald letters that read, "WELCOME TO MANEHATTAN".

Octavia felt briefly nostalgic at the sight of the massive buildings of steel and glass, with inactive streetlamps, and a few couriers flitting through the skies over the streets.

But she remembered what this world looked like under the polished chrome and the glowing gems.

"Oh, it's so pretty," Rarity said as the train rolled to a stop. She tipped her bonnet back slightly, briefly revealing her broken horn to Octavia. "This city is always beautiful, no?"

"Eh," Applejack said. "It's fancy-shmancy."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "A farm pony in the big city, unable to appreciate any of the sights."

Octavia got up as the doors rolled open, tuning out the friends' playful bickering. Few ponies walked the streets, as they traveled almost exclusively by car, but some were out and about, hoping to be seen in their fashionable clothing.

Octavia glanced to the side, seeing a hint of graffitti on the nearest building. She cocked her head, trying to get a better look at it.

"Some silly filly spray-painted 'Discord' on the side of a building," a nearby Earth pony said. Octavia jumped, turning to see a familiar cream-colored pony meeting her gaze. Coco Pommel smiled. "With the whole 'zero instead of an O thing, too."

"Coco, darling!" Rarity cried, leaping forward and hugging Coco.

"Hello, Miss Rarity," Coco said, smiling as she hugged Rarity back. "Here for long?"

"A quick visit, I'm afraid," Rarity said. "Those two have their own work in the city, but I thought I'd take the excuse to visit my favorite assistant."

"Oh, I can't be your favorite," Coco said, shyly, waving off the compliment.

"I don't think she has other assistants," Applejack put in.

"Pfft! That's hardly the point, now, is it?" Rarity said, waving a hand at Applejack. "Why not you two go ahead and head to the Flight of Fancy? I can handle my business on my own, once I'm done catching up with Coco."

"Of course," Octavia said, nodding. "See you later, Rarity."

"Ta-ta, darlings! Have fun storming the castle!" Rarity joked as they walked off.

"So," Applejack asked quietly as they trotted their own way. "Filthy Rich is gonna make a play for the Flight of Fancy?"

"Almost certainly," Rarity said. "Fancy won't let him establish proper roots in Manehattan, and he wants to expand. And when Fancy won't sell, Filthy's going to move to his old stand-by."

Armed gunmen and brute force.

"Assuming that Fancy fights off his thugs, people will be hurt, and androids may be kidnapped," Octavia said. "The Crown may or may not attempt to retrieve them, but 'lost property' won't be their priority."

Applejack nodded. "Then we'd best see what we can do."

Ahead of them was the Flight of Fancy. Above its great doors was a massive white swan statue, wings spread wide. Octavia nodded. "Lets."

Author's Note:

And here we go! I went through several ideas of what to post next, but it came down to the eleven pre-written chapters for this one. Updates will be every Wednesday, until I run out of the already written stuff, and then it'll be long breaks between them. I'll still post the new ones on Wednesday after that, though, so you don't have to look on the other days.

I hope you enjoy the read! I'll include some tidbits about the world in the author's notes of subsequent chapters, to help explain some of the points that I can't plausibly explain in-universe, such as androids.