Friendship Befits Firepower

by MistOverMoon

Chapter Three- MARBLE-01

The cave of her deliverance stared her down, dark and baleful. It was familiar, yet at this moment, it felt foreign. Marble's hooves had walked this path her entire life. At the end of the tunnel was her creation, her soul, and her pride. The reality of what she was about to do began to set in, sinking into her as the rain did her coat.

They would see. Even now she could feel the eyes pricking into her, boring into her, judging her. The phantoms gathered around her soul, taking and stealing until there was nothing left but resentment.

Well, there is one thing they would never take, that they would never see. Or at least, that is what Marble had planned.

She pushed forward into the cave.

"Marble!" Limestone ran up behind her, gasping for breath. "What are you doing, you rockhead!"

"Saving Crystal." Marble walked, and as she did lights overhead turned on, illuminating the path ahead.

"I'm glad your showing ponies your stuff again sis, but this isn't the time!" Limestone said. "We need to get out of here."

"No, Lime." Marble stepped into the larger cavern which held her workshop. "This is the only time."

She was staring at it now, her soul. It was the same as the last time she saw it, standing on two sturdy steel legs, right arm primed with the triple blaster while the other was equipped with the two-pronged jolt thrower. Its sturdy enchanted steel remained steadfast, holding up its four-pony tall frame.

"You think you can take that thing?" Limestone frowned. "I know your machine is strong but... what if it fails? I can't let anything happen to you. And your machine, what if it breaks? You spent your whole life making that, are you really going to risk it breaking?"

"Mmm." Marble couldn't help but resonate with the murmurings. This machine was her whole life practically. She could remember twisting screws on its legs, injecting its artificial crystal wire veins with Pinkie's bubbling gem solution brew, hammering away dents in steel plates she forged herself. There were so many memories laden in its steel. Everypony in the Pie family had contributed something to it through idea or hoof-work, though Marble was the one who created it. This was more than just a machine; it was her soul.

Yet, there was somepony in need. Even if it was an outsider, how could she let a pony die knowing she could have done something about it?

"Value." Marble whispered. "A life is worth more."

She forced her frozen legs to move towards the mech.

"Sis..." Limestone trailed off, face pulling into a half-grimace, half-worried expression. As always, it was impossible for Limestone to make any expression other than some variant of a hostile one. "Don't make me drag you out of here."

Marble approached the legs of the mech, deciding to ignore Limestone for now. She went to the back of it, then placed her hooves on a small ledge on the back of the legs. Stepping up, she reached up towards a square steel hatch. With a deft practiced movement, she slipped a hoof beneath a hidden compartment. She flipped a small lever, and the hatch opened with a hiss of unpressurized air like the sigh of a dragon. Inside, a dark confined chamber was revealed, big enough for only one pony to fit.

As she stepped up into it, nervous fear and pumping adrenaline alike surging through her body, Limestone grabbed her back hooves.

"Sis! You're not going out there!" Limestone snarled.

"Lime..." Marble didn't even try to struggle, instead meeting her eyes.

"I'm not losing you." Limestone hugged her tighter. "Especially not while I'm in charge of the farm!"

"I'm not going to die." Marble said. "Please, trust me. Trust in what I have created. We can't let that thing kill Crystal, and we can't let it drive us off the farm."

Limestone met her eyes. For a long moment the two stared at each other, each unwilling to budge. Then, Limestone's scowl slowly deepened. "You better not get hurt, or I'm hitting you over the head with a rock. Iron-based rock. Hard."

"Mm-hmm." Marble hummed, nodding to her sister. "I'll be okay."

When Limestone reluctantly released her, Marble hugged her back. For a moment she relished in the feeling of being close. Yet, there was not much time to waste. With one last nod, Marble stepped up into the open hatch.

She climbed into the dark compartment. The interior had a soft black cushion which she quickly laid down on. Front facing and laying on her belly, she could access everything in the cockpit with comfort. With a press of an overhead button hidden in the dark, the hatch closed shut behind her. A hiss sounded as it closed, sealing shut and locking itself into place. Pitch-black darkness shrouded her.

"I got this." Marble whispered to herself. Inside her mech, she felt powerful. Nopony could see her now, nopony could judge her, and she was in charge of her creation.

She flipped a few switches, knowing them even in the dark. The mech began to hiss like a waking dragon as magic flowed through crystal wires. The suspension of the machine jolted as it reconnected, causing a slight dip before it righted itself. Then, a familiar mechanized voice came through the speaker system.

"Booting up, running system diagnosis. Main core charge- 37%. Right blaster charge- 87%. Left jolt thrower charge- 80%. System integrity- 100%."

As the mechanized voice of Pinkie Pie rang through the cockpit, the slumbering giant awakened.

Green light filled the dark interior of the cockpit. Levers and buttons began to glow as magic flowed through the circuitry. Two joysticks sprang into view, weaved in amongst what seemed like a thousand tiny switches on a central control board directly in front of her.

The solid steel plating in front of her blocked her view until an inlaid spell on the metal worked its magic. It shimmered, and then, it seemed to disappear from sight. While still cloaked in darkness, Marble could still see outside of the mech. It was a one-way spell, a spell that allowed a pony to see through something, but nothing on the other side could see in.

This was where she was meant to be. Amongst her treasured creations, where no pony could judge her.

Magic filled her mech like lifeblood, and Marble's heart thrummed along to its awakening.

"MARBLE-01, All systems fully operational."

"This is stupid." Limestone was sitting in front of the mech.

Marble flipped on the frontal floodlights, blasting the area with intense white light. How dare she call her mech stupid?

"Are you done blinding me?" Limestone turned her head away. "Stupid one-way metal. I know your laughing at me right now."

Marble pressed a button with her hoof, all the while laying down on the plush black cushion inside. The speaker systems activated, projecting her voice outside the mech. "No making fun of MARBLE, ok?"

"I dug up most of the ore and gems for MARBLE. I can make fun of her all I want." Limestone nibbled on her hooves; an action uncanny for Marble to see. "You're going to be okay, right?"

"I'm going to be fine." Marble flipped another switch, and a padded metal grate came down from overhead. It held her in place, securing her to the cushion snugly.

"I'm going to follow you on hoof." Limestone said. "Next to the mech's... what did you call it again? A foot?"

"Yes. A foot." Marble grabbed the joysticks with her hooves, the latent magic within every pony allowing her to manipulate them with ease. "Make sure to follow behind. I don't want to accidentally step on you."

"You always get so talkative in there." Limestone said.

"Mm-hmm." Marble hummed. "I'm going to start moving. Are you sure you don't want to stay behind? It would be safer."

"I'll go." Limestone said. "Have to make sure you don't get in trouble."

"Make sure to stay back."

"Who's in charge now?" Limestone huffed.

"MARBLE is. Now, let's go save Crystal."

Marble pushed on the joysticks, and her mech began to move.

The first step of the heavy flat foot slammed onto stone. The suspension hissed, cogs whirred, and plates slid with the movement. MARBLE walked forward on two steel legs, steadily striding through the tunnel. Lights came on as it walked, even though they were not needed. The two frontal floodlights saturated the tunnel with plenty of near-blinding light.

Marble would have been nauseous at the rocking motion of her mech were she not used to it. It lurched forward with each heavy step. The hissing stemmed to no more than a subtle murmur as she continued to move, the machine stabilizing itself with every step.

"How are we going to find her?" Limestone yelled.

That was a good question. There was no good way to figure out where Crystal had gone. She could be anywhere.

"Hope." Marble could feel the word sit heavily in her chest. All they could do was hope that they would find her in time. If not...

To that, Limestone said nothing.

Marble strode out into the rain. The storm battered her mech to no avail. She was perfectly protected from any of the surging winds and water. Limestone on the other hoof looked absolutely miserable. She was soaked once more, her mane saturated and heavy with water.

Unfortunately, there was no more room in the mech. Otherwise, Marble would have given her a seat.

From up high, Marble could see more. It was one of the reasons she built the mech standing up. Even with that though, she could see nothing beyond the floodlights of the mech. It illuminated the falling rain, each droplet a testament to the wrath of the storm.

With nowhere in particular to go, Marble headed in the direction she hoped was the farmhouse. It was somewhere to start at the very least. She had to move quick. Each second was another screw in the fabrication of Crystal's fate. There could be no dalliance.

Her stomach churned and her body shook with nerves. The beast she was up against was a complete unknown. Based on its movements it seemed agile and fast. Her mech was much slower, and harder to turn. If she was going to win, then she would need to exercise her ranged capabilities. The only problem was... where was it?

"Where are we headed?" Limestone yelled over the rain.

"Farmhouse. When we get there, try to be quiet." Marble felt a spike of panic at her commanding tone, but reminded herself that she was in her mech. She was in control.

"MARBLE really fires you up, doesn't it sis?" Limestone laughed. "If only you could speak like that normally I wouldn't have to do all the talking."

The floodlights illuminated the farmhouse. It was as trashed as they left it. The familiar and well-loved wood was torn open. Water and wind had thrown around the things inside their family home. It was in ruin. The sight of it fired a shot of rage right into Marble's blood, a feeling foreign to her. This was her home, and that thing had ruined it. She was going to enjoy scrapping the cat and using its parts to pay for repairs.

"See anything?"

"Nothing!" Limestone was already poking around the area. "Any tracks are already washed away."

Marble felt dread pool deeper in her chest. Maybe they were already too late. Maybe Crystal was already...

No. She had to keep looking. With a silent nod to herself, she pressed a button and popped open the hatch to the mech. Rain soaked the cockpit, but she didn't care, it was all waterproof and she was already wet anyways. Marble climbed out the back, but instead of jumping to the ground, she climbed on top of her mech.

"What are you doing up there?" Limestone asked.

Marble sat on top of the mech and looked around. From up here she had a much better view. There was just a little moonlight seeping through the clouds. Invisible when directly around you, but barely noticeable when looking at the whole of the landscape. She surveyed the area, her eyes narrowed against the rain.

It was empty. Dark and empty. Unfeeling and cold. The moonlight barely wanted to touch it.

Then, like the flicker of a dying ember, Marble saw a flash of red in the distance.

"I see it." Marble carefully climbed back down from her mech and reentered the cockpit. The hatch hissed shut behind her, enclosing her in the mech's maw once more.

"Y-You see it?" Limestone's voice shook for half a second before going back to that gruff tone she knew all too well. "Now what? Just go and kick its flank?"

"Mm-hmm."

Marble moved her mech towards where the flash came from. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her gut churning with nervousness. She took a breath to calm herself, focusing on the feeling of the mech around her. She was safe, she was in control. She was powerful.

"You should stay here. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll hang back. You're not getting rid of me easily." Limestone said.

With that said, Marble drove her mech forwards. The red light grew closer with each heavy step. Ahead, the sound of mechanized yowling and howling pierced through drum of rain.

Maniacal laughter came from ahead. "You will never get me, beast!"

That had to be Crystal. The sound seemed to be coming from above and up ahead, which was strange. It gave her a flicker of hope.

Marble cut the lights on her mech. Plunged into darkness, she strode forward, intent on catching the thing off guard. The yowling increased as she approached, the red glow like a dark star guiding her way. She moved with bated breath, hoof hovering over a trigger on the controls.

When all that separated her from the red glow was a curtain of darkness, Marble hovered a hoof over the button to turn on the lights. With a single breath to calm herself, Marble narrowed her eyes. Then, she turned on the lights.

White light blasted outward. It illuminated one of the legs of the old windmill. Suddenly it made sense on why Crystal's voice was coming from above.

Then Marble saw it.

The machine was clawing its way up the wooden leg of the windmill. As the light blasted it, its red eyes turned to face her. Glowing with smoldering hatred, they stared. Black steel fangs were borne and its three tails pointed towards her, writhing like a pit of snakes.

Adrenaline rushed through Marble's veins like never before. For just a second she was frozen, looking into the eyes of the machine. It was frozen as well, as if surprised to see the mech facing it. Two mechanical oddities in this world, fascinated with the other. If this was another situation, she might have tried to speak to it.

Then she saw Crystal Courage, clinging to the leg of the windmill, far up and off the ground. She had her hooves wrapped around it, her body shaking. She looked exhausted.

The sight knocked Marble out of her stupor. She channeled all her rage and desire at what this thing made her do. It destroyed her farmhouse, it made her reveal her creation, it tried to kill Crystal, and it nearly hurt her sister. Nopony hurt her sister. She gathered every bit of courage she could muster, and her limbs moved once again.

Marble squeezed the trigger.

The barrels of the triple-blaster started to spin, rapidly gaining speed with a whir. Then, they started to spit.

A shower of prismatic magic bolts erupted from the blaster. The beast screamed a warbling cry as the bolts scorched its metal hide, reeling back and away from the windmill. It rolled away from the hail, red eyes flashing as the magic ripped it to shreds. Mud and water went flying from where bolts hit the ground, showering the area in a curtain.

Marble grinned, a surge of wicked energy filling her. She imagined that the beast was one of those two brothers. Those brothers who stole from her, ridiculed her. With this power in her hooves, what could stop her?

The beast ran, metal claws digging into the dirt. It swerved from the oncoming fire, harried by magic, and disappeared into the murk.

Marble cursed under her breath as it disappeared into the darkness. She couldn't see it now other than a red glow from its eyes. Steeling her nerves, she marched the mech forward.

As she stomped forward, the red light vanished. Marble stopped her mech, unnerved. She didn't think it would run away that easily. It was a machine, one that tried to kill her, it didn't make sense for it to give up. Something was off, and a Pie always trusted their instincts.

Marble cut the lights to her mech, enveloping the area in inky darkness again. Then she began to shuffle to the side. Her mech didn't have spectacular sideways mobility, but it could shuffle at the very least. Maybe if she took an unexpected angle, she could catch it off guard.

For a moment Marble thought the maneuver pointless. The thing really didn't seem to be returning.

Then, the ominous red glow appeared amongst the rain. It soared forward, flying through the air. Marble hit the lights again, panic filling her chest as it came towards her.

The beast pounced, a powerful leap that sent it sailing through the air. It slammed into the side of her mech with a monstrous clang, missing its center due only to the darkness and shifted position. Claws ripped into the hull with the sound of shearing metal and its jaws crushed into the blaster arm.

Marble shook in her mech, rapidly righting it before it fell over. She blasted with the arm only to meet open air; the beast was too close.

Panic and fury filling her chest, Marble grit her teeth and activated the other arm. Its twin prongs crackled with electricity. A ball of crackling lighting formed between the prongs, and she drove it into the side of the beast. The prongs impaled its side, sizzling circuits with the smell of burning ozone and sheared steel.

With a glitching howl, the beast tried to pull away. Its flashing claws ripped scores into metal, but it was of no use. Its three tails speared at the mech, only to go careening off the thick armor.

Marble drove the prong deeper, then pulled the beast off her mech. She stabbed its body into the ground, pinning it in place.

The beast kicked at her, cogs clicking in a frenzy. Its jaws latched onto her mech's leg.

Then Marble lifted her other foot and stomped onto it. The stomp crushed its back legs to scrap, crushing steel with enchanted steel.

Black liquid spilled from its body, coating its black metal hide. It looked like a mockery of a wounded animal. With one last surge of effort, the beast ripped itself free from the prong, and started to crawl in a frenzy. If it felt pain, it certainly wasn't showing it.

Marble aimed her blaster at its crawling form, a wicked glee filling her. It began to whir, the barrels spinning, and then it showered its crawling form with magic. She kept firing, ripping metal with magic, tearing cog from creation. From the other arm she released a jolt of arced lighting, blasting its back. An explosion of ruptured metal lit up the night, blue and orange with hostility. When Marble finally stopped firing, it was nothing more than a pile of assorted parts.

She breathed heavily, blood racing through her veins. Her hooves shook, filled with energy. Sweat dripped from her body. Her mane stuck to the half of her face it covered. Her coat tingled; her heart thundered in her chest like the rage of the storm.

She had done it; she had killed the thing. Marble could barely believe it.

That felt good. Terrifying, but good.

It was a shame to destroy such a beautiful machine, but it had to be done. It had nothing on her dear MARBLE-01, but it was impressive, nonetheless.

Then it hit her with a jolt, was Crystal alright? Marble popped the hatch to her mech, the storm instantly washed away the sweat on her body.

"Marble? Are you alright?" Limestone came running up from behind. Her hooves wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'm good." Marble let out a shaky sigh. "Where is Crystal?"

"I'm right here..." Crystal's voice came from behind her.

Marble turned.

Crystal was standing next to her mech. She looked tired, her body bruised and covered with mud, but the expression on her face told another story. It was filled not with resentment, not with fear, but with... awe? For a moment dread filled Marble. She was going to steal her mech, wasn't she? She was going to steal her-

"This is yours?" Crystal shouted as she stumbled forward, slipping in the mud. She flopped onto the ground. "Ouch..."

Marble said nothing. How could she convince her that the mech wasn't hers? Nopony could know. It wouldn't be safe for somepony to know. They would steal it.

"Let's get back to the farmhouse sis. And Crystal." Limestone sneezed, her face scrunching up into a grimace. "You two rockheads need to get out of this rain. Not that I need to. I could stay out here all night."

"You... saved me. Thank you." Crystal's stare locked onto Marble. The pointed look bared into her, and without being in her mech Marble suddenly felt very exposed once more.

"Mm..." Marble hummed and turned her gaze to the side, hiding her face behind her mane. Her secret was out, and an outsider was staring at her. Crystal knew her secret, a secret she swore not to tell any outsider for the rest of her existence. The last time she had done so, it had ended only in misery.

The heat of the battle was fading, and she was starting to feel very, very cold.