Twilight blinked as she opened the door to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders staring up at her hopefully. "Umm...can I help you three?" she asked curiously.
"Ya said you'd take some time ta tutor us, remember?" Apple Bloom pointed out. "We're here fer that!"
"Oh, I remember," Twilight confirmed. "I just didn't expect you all back...so quickly. I mean, I only gave you those forms yesterday-"
All three fillies immediately pulled out signed waivers. "Here you go!" Sweetie proclaimed eagerly, desperately struggling to levitate the piece of paper over to Twilight as the others handed them over.
Twilight frowned down at the signed sheets. "And...you're sure an adult family member signed off on this with full understanding of what it meant, as well as talking it out with you?"
"Applejack signed mine!" Apple Bloom proclaimed happily. "She said it meant she was saying it was okay for ya to patch me up if I got hurt."
"Rarity signed mine!" Sweetie Belle added. "Mom and Dad are out of town - again - and she said lessons would mean we could spend more time together once I'm more useful."
Twilight winced slightly at just how enthusiastic Sweetie Belle was about being 'useful' to Rarity. Then again, career focus did sweep everything else up in it. She turned to the last filly. "And you, Scootaloo?"
"Uh huh, yeah, signature, danger, got it!" Scootaloo stated quickly. "Let's go already!"
Twilight was internally torn between pleasure at Scootaloo's eagerness to learn and a growing certainty she should check the signature on her form for forgery. Eventually, she decided to go with the former, since she wasn't entirely certain the forms constituted legal consent in the first place and were meant as a deterrent from following this path...for the fillies' families, if not for the fillies themselves. "Well, come on in then. You might as well see how I've fixed this place up." She nudged the door open and led them inside.
Inwardly, she chuckled as she watched their awe as they stared around. The overall 'inside a tree' aesthetic remained the same, but the amount of space now contained rivaled Canterlot...the city, not just the castle. Shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls, holo-books, data cubes, readers, and display cases stretched out into the distance beyond clear vision, and the roof soared high above, vaulted with intertwined branches and leaves that allowed the sun to play gently across the floor and shelves, giving a natural feel and the exact amount of light needed to read comfortably by. In the distance, Spike could be seen flying a jetpack around as he reshelved books with robo-arms, a half dozen at a time. Several robots that glowed green and looked only half there were at work assisting Spike, running here and there with stacks of books in their arms and laser cutlasses strapped to their backs (Twilight had recruited some of her 'crew' to help run the expanded library, as she'd transferred everything that was intact from the 'Hall of Knowledge' here for review, and everything that wasn't intact for restoration).
Twilight waited for the fillies to be completely gobsmacked by what they were seeing, then cleared her throat to get their attention. "So...what was it specifically you three wanted me to instruct you in?"
"I was hoping to learn ta make potions that could help plants grow, among other things," Apple Bloom spoke up. "But Applejack says I'm not allowed to go into Everfree alone even ta see Zecora. Not after the Heart's Desire incident..."
"I want to learn to take things apart and put them back together!" Scootaloo proclaimed eagerly. "That way I can fix up my scooter and the wagon when they break!"
"And I'm hoping you can teach me to draw out more of my telekinesis!" Sweetie Belle squeaked hopefully.
Twilight nodded as she took all that in. "I see...but do you really want to be so limited in what you're studying? If this is working towards Cutie Marks...what if you three were the first fillies to get Cutie Marks in something from off world?"
All three fillies gasped in shock at the very idea. They glanced at each other, then leapt into the air. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Space Studies, Yay!" they proclaimed together.
Twilight chuckled softly. "In that case, follow me downstairs." Turning, she led the trio down a short flight of stairs into a massive basement laboratory. Much like above, shelves stretched into the distance, though covered in various components and vials rather than books or scrolls. However, as she expected, the fillies' attention was locked on the snarling creatures inside the cage beside the stairs.
"Princess Twilight-" Apple Bloom began.
"Just Twilight," Twilight interrupted. "I'm a teacher here, not a Princess."
"What is that?" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she pointed.
Inside the cage was a group of creatures resembling Timberwolves, though they seemed to be made of metal and circuits rather than wood and leaves. The same eldritch glow filled their eyes, though. "Oh, that's the results of my attempts to reverse engineer the 'zombie robot pirate ghost' curse using Timberwolves as test subjects. I thought I'd have to recreate the curse to give to Zecora before sending her back in time so she could give it to Blackwater." She smiled ruefully. "Turns out she already had that particular curse in her library...but these cyberwolves are still useful in their own way."
"H-how so?" Scootaloo asked nervously.
"Well, for this lesson for one thing," Twilight explained. She handed Scootaloo a blueprint. "This has all the parts you'll need to put together a weapon to repel them." She handed Apple Bloom a small flower in a pot and a scroll. "This has a formula that will let this plant grow gigantic and become sapient. Brew it right, it will protect you. Brew it wrong, and it will likely turn on you." She then turned to Sweetie Belle. "Parts and chemicals will be out of reach for all of you without telekinesis." Turning, she locked the door out of the lab and flew up to the top of the cyberwolf cage. "I'll open the cage in five minutes. That's how long you have to prepare. I believe the best learning is discovered on the battlefield, in a life or death struggle. Good luck." She flipped over a five-minute hourglass.
As the sand started to fall, the fillies stared in disbelief...then shrieked in terror before racing off into the lab. Twilight chuckled to herself. The cyberwolves were actually part of the 'zombie robot pirate ghost' crew now, and thus wouldn't actually hurt the fillies. Still, she knew what adrenaline could do to the creative mind...and that's one thing that trio definitely was.
After a time, she released the cyberwolves to hunt down the trio. They'd either have their defenses prepared and drive the wolves back, or they'd get a bit of a fright before the wolves dragged them back. Either way-
There should not have been a massive explosion followed by a hurled shelf and the yelps and whines of the cyberwolves.
Looking up, Twilight's eyes shrank to pinpricks as she stared at the massive plant/metal monstrosity that the CMC were riding atop to smash the cyberwolves to bits. She realized one thing she'd forgotten about the CMC...what they got up to tended to get away from them.
Yes!! All my yes!!
7929207
Take Mine as well, but I doubt it would be even enough to fill a thimble of CMC mayhem.
I don't really know what happened and I don't really care. Fuck this shit I'm out! (Runs away like a scared little pansy man)
To perfect!
*Later that evening*
Twilight: Am I to assume you're responsible for this?
-This being the CMC's monstrosity doing battle in the middle of Ponyville while two groups of CMC watch on. The second group was older looking about five years, and they were all cheering on the second group of CMC's human friend, driving a giant robot with a car for a head.-
Discord: Now Twilight, you did ask if I knew how to get rid of their monster without resorting to anything too destructive.
-At that moment, the Megas opens up its chest, and out of it came something that looked like a gun born of the dreams of Orks and Space Marines, as it was one single barrel, which was already beginning to glow, surrounded by some already spinning chainguns.-
Twilight: And that's not destructive how?
-Sweeping her hoof out again, one could see several mountains had hold in them and the moon, just visible at the horizon, was pockmarked and scared by several still burning fires. Fires burning without oxygen, or fuel, somehow.-
Discord: Oh please, this is nothing. You should see what the Paladins and their Robot Lions can do when they get mad.
-So saying, Discord held out some popcorn, while Coop screamed bloody murder, firing his latest weapon at the creature, while all of Ponyville looked on and oohed at the light show-
Looks like Twilight and her mother/daughter/it's-complicated have competition... of a sort.
7929220 Awesome, 10/10, would request that to be in the next chapter somehow.
Cutie Mark Crusaders boss level minion creators?
Audrey 4- 2.0 because Twilight must have been smoking some good stuff to think that this would have ended any other way
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
.... twilight... what have you DONE!!!!!!!????
Twilight! What did you teach my sister!? There is a giant, walking apple tree in Sweet Apple Acre!
Why, Applejack, I thought you want a helping hand in your farm?
Why do I get the feeling that the CMC + Twi''s technology could lead to Tree sap napalm or a potion nuke of somekind.
...makes me think that chompy and Audrey III are gonna do a fusion thing at some point... so some poor mook is gonna have to deal with a primordial god eating plant made almost entirely out of chompy's [ERROR]
It's kinda scary that I expected worst from the CMC when I started this chapter, meaning I expected accidental time travel shenanigans with Twilight teaching them but this is good too. Keep up the good work.
Why do I this sudden sense of foreboding?
I'm kinda curious what would happen if Twilight gave them free reign to design a giant fighting robot. Unicron?
7929365
Beauty. She helped nurture beauty.
7929428 because CMC.
7929448 no I think it because this Twilight is teaching them. *shudder* bye bye laws of causality!
7929454 twilight teaching them is fine, but CMC = much more damage , because of their luck making it worse.
I saw that coming. *maniacal laugh*
should have expected that one Twi
7929220 What, no Power Rangers reference?
I thought Apple Bloom was about to create Audrey. That could have been funny when Twilight would end up meeting the CMC from Three More Things!
laughs an insanely evil laugh
"Allow me dear fellow readers, to install into you a truly Horrifying image. The CMC SOMEHOW getting their hooves on some of the plans to one of Twilight's RYNO's, and somehow actually managing to BUILD a RYNO."
Oh god, it seems that Twilight forgot the prime concern when dealing with the CMC. No plan survives them.
7929827 I'm sos cared thinking about that, that your comment is in danger of getting my first ever dis-like.
P.S. Just kidding, sorta. :P
And the best part? Those wavers will probably act as a Very effective deterrent if/when the events of the "Twilight Time" episode come around, meaning that the CMC actually have a Reason why Twilight would be willing to teach them, but not everyone else...
....... is it possible to join tia on a drinking epesoid?
Quick question, did any of the RYNOs in this story play the 1812 Overture?
And thus the CMC created their own army of Botano-mechanical monstrosities. Nefarious found them and took them under his (sometimes) proverbial wing.
In the Sparkle Judicial System, Invention-based offences are often especially outrageous. In Equestria, the civil servants that investigate these ridiculous felonies are members of an elite squad, made to combat the main invention-based offenders: The CMC Super Villains Unit. These are their stories.
Audreytron 4000, the meanest, greenest, karaoke-machinest mother in Outer Space!
I should not have read this chapter while eating homemade chili.
Cayenne pepper in tomato sauce HURTS going through your sinuses.
Twilight will turn the CMC into a nigh-unstoppable force...Now let's see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pick on them after what they've accomplished. That is, assuming this is a better version of Twilight Time.
7929220 That Megas XLR reference...Kudos.
7930392
Megas CMC, actually.
7930401 I see
HALLELUJAH!! YES!! Twilight's big mistake!! This is the pre-cutie mark Crusaders we're talking about!! Now time to await the aftermath of THIS disaster.
So they somehow got the cyber-groot, super-growth and RYNO mixed together. Now just need to unleash the Crusaders on some new bad guys. Let's see who'll run screaming in fright.
I really want more twilight cmc adventures now
Well, if Twilight can train them, they'll truly be the Cutie Mark CRUSADERS.
Twilight: I'll be sending these cyberwolves after you three now...
Sweetie: wait, arn't you going to teach us any thing first?
Twilight: I believe in learnibg on the job...
7936021 no pretty sure he would say it immediately in a aside. (If you know what that is)
you know i DO have to wonder how this chapter also did not end in tree tap?
TS: Now repeat to me what I just said.
GP: I am Grooptimus. I am Grooptimus. I am Grooptimus Primal.
TS: NO! That will rust; rusty guns are as bad as broken guns!
Seeing now what the CMC can do, should Twilight be concerned about her own OP-ness being challenged?
Wait a second even though the potion failed is this version of Apple Bloom responsible for the creation of Audrey III over in Three More Things? I know she got it as a present but just where did it come from originally and why do I think it came from this timeline originally?
This was 100% self-inflicted, Twilight.
Did the Cutie Mark Crusaders just bust out Omega Flowey?
8750057
.....Yep.
Wait... a plant sapient companion... Oh you sly fox you, re-used idea for another story huh